VOL. XXIX  NO. 224  3 Sections 32 Pages P18  THURSDAY : SEPTEMBER 24, 2015  www.thestandard.com.ph  editorial@thestandard.com.

ph

Poe cousin
pressured
to recant
statements

A2

PNOY’S HAND SEEN

‘Aquino authorized military to conduct anti-lumad campaign’
By Christine F. Herrera and Maricel V. Cruz

PRESIDENT Benigno Aquino III authorized the

Armed Forces to close down and occupy lumad
schools in Mindanao and had a direct hand in the
campaign of violence and harassment against the
tribal communities, a leftist lawmaker charged
Wednesday.
“Malacañang can no longer feign ignorance, wash its hands,
or pretend to conduct an investigation. The campaign against
the lumad apparently has the sanction of the President,” said
ACT Teachers Rep. Antonio Tinio.
Tinio said during deliberations on the 2016 national
budget, Education Department officials in the Davao re-
gion admitted there was a plan to close down some 24
schools set up by the Salugpungan Ta Tanu Igkanugon
Community Learning Center and replace them with
schools run by soldiers. Next page

Inspection. President
Benigno Aquino III sits with
Public Works Secretary Rog-
elio Singson after inspecting
the refurbished Far North
Luzon General Hospital and
Training Center in Apayao.
Malacañang Photo Bureau

NYT report: Escudero defends palace Thousands

By Macon Ramos-Araneta III is corrupt, Senator Francis ruling Liberal Party, was re- of troops
sent to find
and Francisco Tuyay Escudero said  Wednesday. acting to a New York Times
“I’m not in a position to say report that said the US gov-

3 foreigners
ONGOING investigations into that this, in general, is the [state ernment turned down a Phil-
alleged irregularities in the of Aquino’s] government,” Es- ippine request for $300 mil-
purchase of helicopters and cudro said. lion in military aid because

A4
armored personnel carriers do The senator, who is run- it was worried about official
not mean that the government ning next year for vice presi- corruption under the Aquino
of President Benigno Aquino dent in opposition to the administration. Next page
 T H U R S D AY : S E P T E M B E R 24 , 2 0 1 5

A2 NEWS
editorial@thestandard.com.ph

Sheryl feels pressure PNoy’s...

From A1

The plan, the officials added, was hatched

to deny bashing Poe

during an  April 23  meeting called by the
Regional Intelligence Committee, which was
convened by the National Intelligence Coor-
dinating Agency or Nica, the government’s
lead intelligence collection agency operating
under the Office of the President.
By John Paolo Bencito The actress told reporters yesterday that Francis Escudero, said the misunderstand- “Nica officials report to the President and
her career is now in jeopardy following the ing between Poe and Cruz should not be its director general is the President’s principal
recent “forced” resignation of her manager, exploited by their political opponents. adviser on intelligence,” Tinio said.
POLITICAL pressure is being Rams David. “Every family wants to get rid of any dif- STTILC schools are community-based
brought to bear on actress Sheryl The source said David let go of Cruz upon ferences. I hope it will not be used in poli- schools voluntarily set up and maintained
by the Talaingod Manobos with the sup-
Cruz after she voiced her opinion the instructions of movie producer Tony Tu- tics. I hope they will not meddle,” Escudero
port of missionary groups in the hinter-
viera, who is also the producer of the noon- said.
that her cousin Senator Grace time variety show Eat Bulaga, and allegedly a “Let us just let their family resolve the mat-
lands of Davao del Norte.
Tinio said Davao del Norte Schools Di-
Poe is not ready to be president, big financier of the Poe campaign. ter,” he added. vision Supt. Josephine Fadul had written
a source told The Standard  “I am now without a manager and I can’t
understand why I’m suddenly without a rep-
Also on Wednesday, former senator Fran-
cisco Tatad urged Poe to resign as senator so
the Education Department’s director for
Region XI, Alberto Escobarte, urging him
Wednesday. resentative in my career,” Cruz said of David’s that she can save face over issues about her to close the STTILC schools.
resignation. citizenship. In her letter, Fadul said: “Should this
The source said some of Poe’s financiers Cruz also said she would rather not un- He said it would be bad for Poe if she were request for the closure of said schools be
were behind the move to harass the actress, dergo DNA testing to help determine Poe’s unseated by the Senate Electoral Tribunal, granted, in its stead, this Division requests
after she refused to retract her statements. parents. particularly since she has declared her inten- permission to implement the creation of a
“Sheryl was supposed to attend the press “People [have] all these different versions tion to run for President in 2016. public high school in Butay, Talaingod utiliz-
conference of her movie, Felix Manalo when of what they think happened between my Tatad said he believed the complaint ing military personnel as para-teachers as has
a movie executive, Jun Rufino, told her that mom and [the late President Ferdinand] against Poe was strong and supported Su- been previously discussed and agreed upon
the event was moved from  6 p.m. to 3 p.m.,” Marcos but I know that it is not true. I am preme Court Association Justice Antonio during our meeting with the Regional Intel-
the source said. “Seeing this as an opportu- sorry, I am not willing to undergo a DNA test. Carpio’s assertion that she was not a natural- ligence Committee… last 23 April 2015.”
nity to remind her cousin [Poe about her Please spare my family from this; they are so born Filipino. Tinio said the key role played by the Nica
concerns], Sheryl called up members of the affected by it,” Cruz said. “The SET is not about numbers, the law is in the closure of the community schools
press but when the movie producers learned “I don’t want for my mother to be dragged very clear that Poe isn’t a natural-born Fili- established the President’s direct hand in
about [this], Rufino told Cruz that she was into this mess. She wants to keep the peace in pino,” he said. “orchestrating and coordinating the ongo-
disinvited.” the family. I don’t want it to appear that my “Grace Poe’s only mistake is that she wants ing campaign of vilification, harassment,
The same executive and Dolor Guevarra mom had an affair with another man [who us to believe that she’s a natural-born Filipino and violence targeting the lumad schools
were among those who asked Sheryl to take in Mindanao.”
was] not my dad,” Cruz added in her inter- when in fact, she’s not. Poe is only a natural-
back her statements last week, the source “This explains why Malacañang has
view with reporters Tuesday  night. ized Filipino citizen—she’s already stateless at paid mere lip-service and taken no effec-
added. Poe’s running mate in 2016, Senator birth,” he added. With Macon Ramos-Araneta tive action to put an end to the extrajudi-
cial killing spree against lumad leaders and
the occupation of schools by the military,”
Tinio added.
Tinio said the closure of community
schools formed part of a larger counter-in-
surgency campaign aimed at neutralizing
lumad resistance to large-scale mining in
the Davao and Caraga regions.
Lumad schools have been taken over by
soldiers, school houses have been burned,
and teachers and students have been ter-
rorized, he said.
On Sept.1, the executive director of a
lumad school in Surigao del Sur was mur-
dered by paramilitary forces said to be un-
der the control of the military.
Under questioning by Tinio during the
House committee on appropriations hear-
ing, Fadul also confirmed that intelligence
officers of the Eastern Mindanao Command
of the Armed Forces of the Philippines were
present during the  April 23 meeting.
“This is a significant disclosure by Su-
perintendent Fadul,” Tinio said.
“It belies the statements made by top
officials of the AFP, led by Chief of Staff
Gen. Hernando Iriberri, during their own
budget hearing that the military played no
role in calling for the closure of the lumad
schools. Clearly, they were present and ac-
tively involved in planning the school clo-
sures and in suggesting that their soldiers
be assigned as para-teachers. In short, AFP
officials lied to Congress. Their game plan
is obviously to deny everything and claim
that the violence against lumad schools is
part of an alleged tribal war,” Tinio said.
Tinio vowed to question Nica regarding its
role in the campaign against lumad schools
when their budget is scheduled for delibera-
Plea. Members of cause-oriented groups call for an end to extra-judicial killings, enforced disappearances, intimidation and torture at a confer- tion before Congress. With Rio N. Araja
ence in Quezon City. EY ACASIO

NYT report... negotiated contract after having been

consistently disqualified in a series of
government biddings for the purchase
“The United States is not giving us a
fair and equal treatment,” he said, add-
ing that Washington sometimes treats
rejected the government’s request,” a
retired military official who spoke on
condition of anonymity said.
the AGFO has changed its opposition
on the Bangsamoro Basic Law that
President Aquino supports.
From A1
of 21 refurbished combat helicopters its new allies in other parts of the world Retired Lt. Gen. Edilberto Adan, The President had invited mem-
The Senate Blue Ribbon committee for the AFP. much better. president of the Association of Gener- bers of the association to the Palace
headed by Senator Teofisto Guingona Rice Aircraft Services eventually Retired and active military officers als and Flag Officers, said military offi- on Monday, but the former military
III is investigating the P1.25-billion bagged the negotiated contract worth voiced their frustration  Wednesday  cials should explain “the sudden shift of officers were not swayed, Adan said.
chopper deal signed by the Armed P1.25 billion in December 2013 for the over the US rebuff. the US position.” “We have an exchange of views
Forces of the Philippines. Huey UH-1 choppers. “It’s a great security concern for the Armed Force chief Gen. Hernando during the meeting with Aquino
In her sworn statement, whistle- Escudero said if the New York Times Philippines particularly in the…dis- Irreberi declined to comment, however. explaining the background and the
blower Rhodora Alvarez testified that story were true, the Philippine has puted West Philippine Sea and while “It’s the US that should answer or re- progress that brought the BBL, saying
Rice Aircraft Services, in a joint venture enough basis and history to better treat- the US assured us of its assistance relat- act on this matter,” Irreberi said. we must trust the MILF [the Moro
with Eagle Copters Ltd., was awarded a ment from the United States as an ally. ing to the military upgrade, it has now Adan also denied a Palace claim that Islamic Liberation Front],” Adan said.
 t h u r s D AY : s E P t E M B E r 24 , 2 0 1 5

NEWS
editorial@thestandard.com.ph
A3
Federalism. Former
Chief Justice Reynato Puno
‘SWS survey
will make
discusses federalism at a
forum in Club Filipino on
Wednesday. JAnSen RomeRo

Binay work
even harder’
THE camp of Vice President Jejomar
Binay on Wednesday welcomed the
latest Social Weather Stations survey
on the presidential race in which Binay
was statistically tied with Senator
Grace Poe.
“This will inspire the vice president
and his core supporters to work harder
and not to be overconfident,” Binay
spokesman Rico Quicho said.
“The vice president is grateful to the
people who continue to support and
trust him.”
But Quicho slammed President
Benigno Aquino III for saying Binay
did nothing as chairman of the Housing
and Urban Development Coordinating
Council.
“With all due respect, the President
may have forgotten that not long ago,
he himself credited VP Binay for his
achievements in the housing sector,”
Quicho said.
He said that, only last year, several
newspapers had quoted the President
as saying that Binay had done his
duties as housing czar.
“After doing his assignments, should

Poe, Binay, Roxas keep

I be castigating him? I don’t think
that’s proper,” Aquino had said.
Quicho said that, under Binay’s term
as housing czar, the shelter agencies
provided house and lot packages to

lead in September poll

792,014 families worth P268.826 billion.
A Sept. 2-5 survey among 1,200
respondents conducted by SWS, which
was first published by BusinessWorld,
revealed that Binay was picked by 24
By Sandy Araneta percent of the respondents while Poe
had a 0.8- percent rating in the percent picked Escudero. was picked by 26 percent, while former
survey in which 2 percent of the Escudero last week an- Interior Secretary Manuel Roxas II was
SENATOR Grace Poe maintained her lead in the respondents were undecided. nounced he was running as chosen by 20 percent.
presidential race while Vice President Jejomar Bi- The respondents were fur- Poe’s vice-presidential candi- The survey had sampling error
margins of ±3 percentage points for
nay and former Interior Secretary Manuel Roxas II nished with a BusinessWorld- date.
national percentages and found that
approved list of 12 names to The others in the list ob-
placed second and third, respectively, a new Social choose from and they answered tained single-digit scores: 96 percent of the respondents were
Weather Stations-Business World survey revealed orally. Duterte (9 percent), Marcos registered voters.
The respondents were furnished
on Wednesday. They were asked the ques- (7 percent), Estrada (7 per-
with a list of 12 names approved by the
tion “Among the names found cent), Cayetano (5 percent),
The Sept. 2 to 5 survey had a City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte in this list, who will you prob- Legarda (5 percent), Batan- newspaper to choose from. The question
sampling error margin of ±3 (11 percent), Senator Ferdinand ably vote for as President of the gas Gov. Vilma Santos-Recto asked was: “Among the names found in
percentage points for national Marcos Jr. (4 percent), Senator Philippines if elections were (4 percent), Senator Antonio this list, who will you probably vote for
percentages. It polled 1,200 re- Francis Escudero (4 percent), held today?” Trillanes IV (4 percent), Lac- as President of the Philippines if elections
spondents nationwide of whom former President and now Ma- The list was in alphabetical son (3 percent), Camarines were held today?” The respondents
96 percent were registered voters. nila Mayor Joseph Estrada (3 order and included nicknames. Rep. Leni Robredo (3 percent), answered orally.
Of the registered voters, 26 percent), Senator Miriam De- In the vice presidential SWS Senator Jinggoy Estrada (2 “The elections will be a battle for
percent said they would vote for fensor Santiago (2 percent) and survey, Poe and Escudero led percent), and former Manila every single vote and the vice president
neophyte lawmaker Poe while former Senator Manuel Villar Jr. in the BusinessWorld-SWS mayor and now Buhay Party- will continue to meet with the people
24 percent picked Binay and 20 (1 percent). September 2015 pre-election list Rep. Lito Atienza Jr. (0.9 around the country,” Quicho said.
percent chose Roxas, the Liberal Former Senator Panfilo Lac- survey. percent). Binay vowed to work hard to reach
Party’s standard bearer. son, Senator Alan Peter Cayet- Some 27 percent of the regis- Three percent of the respon- as many voters as possible in the
Behind the three were Davao ano and Senator Loren Legarda tered voters chose Poe and 20 dents were undecided. campaign for the coming elections.
Vito Barcelo

Mobile voting eyed for overseas Filipinos

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES
COMMISSION ON APPOINTMENTS
ANNOUNCEMENT
THE Commission on Elec- large population of Filipi- Lim said the Comelec 2010 during the presidential President Benigno S. Aquino III has submitted to the
Commission on Appointments (C.A.) for confirmation the ad
tions on Wednesday said it nos. also plans to conduct auto- elections in those years. interim appointments of the following officials:
will hold a mobile voting sys- “These voting machines mated elections in 29 Phil- But the overseas voter Justice and Judicial and Bar Council
tem for all Filipino absentee will be deployed outside the ippine posts abroad by de- turnout in the midterm elec- Hon. Maria Milagros N. Fernan-Cayosa - Member, Representing
the Integrated Bar of the Philippines, Judicial and Bar Council,
voters in the 2016 elections to embassies so workers aboard ploying Optical Mark Read- tions was only 16 percent in Supreme Court of the Philippines
achieve at least a 50-percent can vote,” Lim said. er machines where ships are 2007 and 2013. Armed Forces of the Philippines
Jesus Rico D. Atencio, PA, Agustin A. Ganaden, PA (Reserve)
voter turnout. For the past elections, the anchored so Filipino seafar- So far, there are 1,197,756 and Edgar E. Pulohanan, PA (Reserve) – Colonel
Comelec commissioner Comelec has been conduct- ers may cast their votes. registered voters overseas, The public may submit any information, written report or
Arthur Lim said they will ing personal voting among “I hope we will be able but the Comelec is hoping to sworn complaints or oppositions in forty (40) copies on the above
appointments to the CA Secretariat, 6th Floor, PNB Financial
be implementing a mobile the voters abroad, where they to reach the 40 percent and increase that to 1.5 million. Center, Roxas Boulevard, Pasay City, Metro Manila.

voting system for the Fili- manually cast their votes in maybe 50-percent voter turn- The registration of voters For the schedule of the public hearings, the CA Secretariat
can be reached through telephone numbers 551-7532, 831-0893,
pinos working and living the Philippine embassies and out,” he said. abroad is also synchronized 831-1824, 834-2706, 831-1566 and 834-2713.
abroad by bringing the vote consulates. Or they fill out The Comelec achieved a with the local listing, which 23 September 2015.
counting machines to areas their ballots and mail them 65-percent voter turnout in is set to end on Oct. 31. Sara ARTURO L. TIU
outside the embassies with to Philippine posts. 2004 but only 26 percent in Susanne D. Fabunan Secretary

(TS-SEPT. 24, 2015)

 t h u r s D AY : s e p t e m b e r 24 , 2 0 1 5

A4 NEWS
editorial@thestandard.com.ph

Thousands
search for
kidnapped
tourists
By Francisco Tuyay and Sandy Araneta
THOUSANDS of security forces, supported by air
and sea assets, scoured the hinterlands of Eastern
Mindanao on Wednesday in search of three foreigners
and a Filipina who were abducted from a resort in
Samal Island in Davao del Norte Monday.
Military and police units sible for the kidnapping.
searched for Canadians John Capt. Alberto Caber, Public Af-
Ridsdel and Robert Hall, Nor- fairs Officer in Eastern Mindanao
wegian Kjartan Sekkingstad and Command, said all units were
Maritess Flor even as President alerted to support the ongoing
Budget hearing. Sen. Loren Legarda, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Finance, greets Justice Benigno Aquino III claimed in police operations while the AFP’s
Secretary Leila de Lima before a congressional hearing of the Department of Justice’s budget for 2016. Luna, Apayao on Wednesday that Western Mindanao Command
LINO SANTOS a new armed group may be behind has intensified intelligence gather-
the abduction which has led to the ing and the deployment of naval
issuance of travel advisory by the assets.

El Niño damages P3-b crops Canandian Embassy in Manila.

Meantime, the authorities
found in Governor Generoso town
in Davao Oriental two motorized
“All efforts are currently be-
ing exhausted by the military and
police to locate and establish the
identities of the abductors,” said
By Anna Leah E. Gonzales multi-stress tolerant rice seeds and distributed early outriggers that are believed to have Westmincom chief Lt. Gen. Rus-
maturing rice varieties and drought or heat tolerant been used by the kidnappers while tico Guerrero.
THE El Niño has already damaged more than P3 crops. the police provided a cartographic “We have dispatched navy units
billion in the agricultural sector as of August, the For the livestock sector, DA also distributed vet- sketches of some of the suspects. for maritime interdiction along
Department of Agriculture said on Wednesday. erinary drugs and biologics and encouraged raisers The military said the two boats possible routes and have intensi-
Data from DA showed that damage to rice, corn, to use tunnel ventilation and other cooling facilities. were possibly the ones used by at fied our intel monitoring to locate
high value crops and livestock sector reached P3.3 “DA also dispersed fingerlings to replenish pro- least 11 armed men who snatched the group and the victims in coor-
billion, affecting 65,855 farmers nationwide. This in- jected production losses for the fishery sector,” DA the four victims while they were dination with the Eastern Mind-
volves 112,387 hectares of corn of which 36,869 hec- said. inside a yacht berthed at the Ocean anao Command,” added Guerrero.
tares have no chance of recovery. The National Irrigation Administration also View Island Resort. Meanwhile in Luna, Apayao,
Losses in corn alone has already amounted to encouraged farmers to use modified cropping Initial investigation disclosed President Aquino yesterday said a
P2.21 billiona, the department said. calendars and patterns, plant short gestating rice that the kidnappers and their cap- new armed group may be behind
The prolonged dry spell likewise affected 30,665 varieties and maximize the utilization of effective tives were last seen heading in the the abduction of three foreigners
hectares of rice nationwide valued at P1.09 billion rainfall. general direction of Zamboanga, and a Filipino woman from an
while damage to high value crops amounted to P19 The weather bureau earlier confirmed that based Basilan and Sulu area, but it could island resort in Samal in   Davao
million. on its recent climate outlook, there was a possibility not be ascertained whether the City.
DA said to mitigate the impacts of El Niño on the of a stronger El Niño in the last quarter of the year notorious Abu Sayyaf Group was “Our security sector is not stop-
agriculture sector, it has already conducted cloud which will last up to the second quarter of 2016. directly behind the abduction as ping to do their job to go after the
seeding operations and distributed pump and engine Due to the below normal rainfall, the National initially believed. suspects,” said Aquino during an
sets and open source pumps. Water Resources Board also encouraged the public Initial reports tagged the group ambush interview at the Bienveni-
The agency also distributed high quality seeds to conserve water in order to properly manage the of ASG commander Muammar do G. Verzola Jr. Memorial Sports
for rice and corn, produced and distributed bags of country’s water supply. Askali, alias Abu Rami, as respon- Complex in Luna.

Reyes brothers arrive today

By Rey E. Requejo In the same interview, De Lima rejected
the request of the Ortega family for her to
A TEAM from Philippine National Po- resolve their pending petition questioning
lice’s Criminal Investigation and Detec- the first resolution of prosecutors dismiss-
tion Group has been sent to Thailand to ing the murder charges against the Reyes
fetch former Palawan Gov. Joel Reyes and brothers.
former Coron Mayor Mario Reyes who is “While I would like to grant their plea,
expected to be deported back to the coun- it will be hard for us because it would
try to face charges for the killing of jour- jeopardize our pending petition in the Su-
nalist Gerry Ortega. preme Court against the Court of Appeals
Secretary Leila de Lima said on Wednes- ruling,” she said.
day the Reyes brothers are expected back She noted that the DoJ has stood by the
in the country on Thursday upon comple- validity of its creation of a second panel of
tion of deportation proceedings. prosecutors that indicted the Reyes broth-
“The CIDG team will subsequently ers for murder and resolving the petition
escort them [Reyes brothers] back to the for review could be a retraction of such
Philippines. The team can be considered stance.
as the arresting team and therefore they “If we resolve the petition, we will have
have to make a return of the service of the to withdraw our petition in the SC,” De
warrant of arrest to the Palawan court,” Lima said.
De Lima said. In March 2013, the CA granted the peti-
She said the Reyes brothers will either tion of the former governor and reinstated
be brought to the PNP Custodial Center the first DoJ resolution clearing the two No bio, no vote. Comelec Commisioner Arthur Lim files his application for registration
in Camp Crame or directly to the Puerto brothers of the murder charges for insuf- as an overseas voter at the Comelec field registration center at the Department of Foreign
Princesa Regional Trial Court. ficiency of evidence. Affairs on Macapagal Avenue in Pasay City on Wednesday. LINO SANTOS
 t h u r s D AY : s e p t e m b e r 24 , 2 0 1 5

NEWS
editorial@thestandard.com.ph
A5
Survivors
hit with
a double
whammy
‘

By Sara Susanne D.
Fabunan
SurViVorS of Typhoon ‘‘Yolan-
da’’ (Haiyan) on Wednesday ap-
pealed to President Benigno Aqui-
no iii to provide decent shelters to
10,000 families who will be dis-
placed by the P7.9-billion plan to
build a dike as protection against
storm surges.
in an open letter, the urban
Poor Associates said it may not
Schooling woes. Members be against the department of
of a militant group and their Public Works and Highways
children demand an increase project dubbed as “Storm Surge
in the Education department’s Protection: road Heightening
budget and at the same time and Tide embankment” project,
protest against the K-12 but lamented that until now the
program. ANDREW RABULAN 10,000 survivor-families have not
been relocated into permanent
housing units that the national
government has promised them.
“The families currently living

Where did Yolanda aid go?

in the project site are at risk of los-
ing their homes again because un-
til now, the promised permanent
housing units are not completed
yet and issues regarding living

Romualdez: Declare donations as public funds standards—such as shallow septic

tanks, an open dumpsite nearby
and poor drainage system—re-
main,” the survivors said.
By Christine F. Herrera donated so that whatever comes and foreign donations and dis- Since Typhoon Yolanda hit the
will be automatically part of the close where these funds went.  country in November 2013, fami-
THE House Independent Minority Bloc led by Leyte public funds.” “What happened? Where is jus- lies are still living in temporary
romualdez, along with Buhay tice? Where is the Malasakit of our shelters made of light   materials
Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez on Wednesday rep. lito Atienza and Abakada own government to our own people which render them vulnerable to
batted for the P17.2 billion in foreign donations to rep. Jonathan dela Cruz, took in region 8? Furthermore, our line typhoons.
to task the government officials agencies in region 8 are complain- “life is hard in these houses.
Yolanda to be declared as public funds and to make particularly Social Welfare Sec- ing where the foreign aids that were They are overcrowded, poorly
government officials account for the money. retary dinky Soliman for failing supposed to be downloaded to re- ventilated, and a lot of kids are
to explain where the billions in gion 8 as the ground zero for Yolan- getting sick,” the typhoon survi-
romualdez said local officials in the job of the government to keep foreign donations went. da went,” romualdez said.  vors said in the letter. 
Visayas were complaining that no track of the donations consider- “Where is government in Atienza said Soliman was con- The dike project of the dPWH
foreign-donated funds were down- ing that these were not felt and Yolanda?” said romualdez, as he sistent in “mishandling and mis- covers the 27.3-kilometer stretch
loaded to the local government seen in the most devastated ar- demanded using” social welfare funds. of shoreline from Tacloban City
units.  eas like his district that includes answers and insisted that gov- When he was mayor of Manila, to Tanauan, leyte.
The national government ad- Tacloban City, where more than ernment officials be made ac- Atienza said, he had a problem So far, the National Housing
mitted that some P73 billion in 6,200 people had perished when countable for the billions in local when shanties in a community in Authority said there are only 534
foreign aid had been pledged by super Typhoon ‘‘Yolanda’’ or and foreign funds and donations Tondo were razed to the ground. permanent houses that have been
the foreign governments and in- “Haiyan’’ flattened eastern Visa- that “never came.” He said while the city hall was turned over to the families while
ternational community.  yas almost two years ago. romualdez proposed that all able to build 7,000 houses, Soliman 13,801 houses are yet to be built.
However, it said, only P17.2 bil- Saying the Yolanda issue was donations for relief, rescue, re- made the national government “in some barangays, people
lion was actually received with “personal” to him, the Tacloban trieval and rehabilitation be con- spend for 5,000 overpriced “bahay have to travel far to fetch water. it
government getting only P1.2 bil- solon proposed the creation of an sidered as “public funds” that kubo” that could be easily bought is extra difficult for women, chil-
lion in cash donations and P1.26 automatic appropriation on all for- should make public officials ac- along the highway for P3,000. dren, and the elderly, and con-
billion in non-cash donations. eign, international and local assist- countable for their use, storage, “We provided materials for sumed so much time that could
The bulk of the donations or ance extended to the government. maintenance and audit.  them to build their homes. Soli- have been spent doing productive
some P14.7 billion was coursed He explained that this would Almost two years after Yolan- man provided toy houses and work. in some barangays, fami-
through the nongovernment or- make funds as “deemed automat- da flattened eastern Visayas, that’s exactly how puny her mind- lies have to wait for the govern-
ganizations, the government said. ically appropriated for the special romualdez said the government set is when addressing a big dis- ment’s water ration, and it’s usu-
But romualdez insisted it was purpose for which the same is has yet to account for all local aster like Yolanda,” Atienza said.  ally not enough,” the letter said.

Nursing mothers: AFPMC in sorry state

By Florante S. Solmerin during a recent visit the Standard found
that up to six mothers with their infants were
SoldierS are lamenting the sorry condition cramped in a small room without beds and bare-
of their wives who have just given birth at the ly enough ventilation in the hospital’s 6th  floor.
Armed Forces of the Philippines Medical Cent- The area has no comfort room; it has four ceil-
er in Quezon City. Hospital room ventilation ing fans but none is working. The mothers had
is poor and beds are sorely lacking. instead of to walk several meters away from their room to
beds, the mothers are made to sit on a chair. get to the nearest Cr.
“Namamanas na ang mga paa ng aking misis “Kanya-kanya kaming dala ng electric fan kasi
dahil maghapon at magdamag siyang nakaupo hindi talaga gumagana ‘yang apat na electric fan
kundi man nakatayo para magpasuso sa aming diyan sa taas,” a soldier said.
anak. Wala man lamang kama o kahit folding The soldiers said they want to transfer their
bed man lamang sana na kanyang mahigaan wives and infants to a private hospital but they
para maka-relax naman at makatulog matapos can’t afford the cost.
siyang magpasuso sa aming anak,” one of the sol- They said their room is not the only one be-
diers told The Standard. cause there are other rooms on the same floor
The enlisted personnel who took a leave of ab- with the same condition. Maritime issues. United States State Asst. Secretary William Brownfield, left,
sence from his Mindanao posting to take care A day after the visit in the hospital, this report- head of the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs meets
of his wife and child in the hospital has appealed er received a call with his mobile phone from one with Philippine National Police Chief Dir. Gen. Ricardo Marquez at Camp Crame
to AFPMC commander Colonel Joseph Acosta of the mothers that at least two beds were brought upon his arrival in Manila. The US official is in Manila to discuss maritime law
to look into the plight of mothers and infants. inside their room for her two fellow mothers. enforcement efforts in the country and in the region.
 T H U R S D AY : S E P T E M B E R 24 , 2 0 1 5

A6 NEWS
editorial@thestandard.com.ph

PUV drivers slam ‘Uber-pricing’

By Rio N. Araja
OVER 100,000 drivers and operators on
Wednesday called for the suspension of the
accreditation of mobile application-based
Uber over its price surging scheme during
period of high demand for transportation.
The 1-Utak party-list, under a new transport ser-
headed by Vigor Mendoza, vice category and grant the
filed a petition with the Land companies the authority to
Transportation Franchising set their own fares.
and Regulatory Board, chal- Earlier, LTFRB board
lenging the operation of Uber member Ariel Enrile In-
and other transportation ton Jr. said at least 5,000 to
network companies (TNCs) 8,000 new vehicles would
without a fare matrix. apply for accreditation
During a hearing on with the LTFRB.
1-Utak’s petition, Mendoza “There is already a migra-
said Uber’s price surging is tion from being PUVS driv-
“unfair,” and is triggering ers to Uber and GrabTaxi
public utility vehicle   driv- drivers. There are jeepney
ers to shift to driving the drivers who moonlight as
app-based private cars. Uber drivers during rush
“Our intention here is for hours,” Mendoza noted.
the government to level the He called on the LTFRB
playing field,” he told The to nullify Department Or-
Standard. der 2015-11 and “to impose
“Uber is charging a pas- a regulated fare rates on the
senger four times higher app-based transport service.”
than the usual taxi fare dur- But Inton said the LTRFB
ing rush hours. The price does not have the power
surging has a trickle-down to nullify DoTC Secretary
effect. Much as operators Emilio Joseph Abaya’s order,
of PUVS want to upgrade the LTFRB has just an “over-
their units, they cannot do sight” function to regulate
so because their fare rates Uber’s price surging.
are fixed and regulated by “How can we do void the Fish holiday. Workers find their basins half empty at the Navotas Fishport on Wednesday as the fishing sector has de-
the LTFRB. They cannot order if the LTRFB is under clared a fish holiday in protest of a law that discriminates against marginal fishermen. ANDREW RABULAN
set their own fare increase the DoTC?” he told The
to enable them improve the Standard.
quality of their units and
services, unlike the Uber,”
he told The Standard.
He said the operators of
passenger jeepneys have al-
ready expressed the inten-
Ferrer: MILF to cooperate on Mamasapano
He said Uber operating tion to seek the deregulation By Sandy Araneta Mamasapano last Jan. 25. AHJAG is the coopera- only the killings of the 35
in the Philippines is 97 per- of their fare rates during GPH peace panel chair- tive mechanism between the members of the 55th Spe-
cent or 99 percent owned rush hours, storms, heavy THE head of the govern- man Miriam Coronel Fer- government and the MILF cial Action Company, and
by a Dutch company, add- downpour and other cir- ment peace panel vowed co- rer said: “Let the judicial that responds to criminality excluded the deaths of nine
ing under the law, a public cumstances when passenger operation on the part of the process take its due course and terrorism in areas with members of the 84th Seaborne
transport must be 60 per- demand is higher. Ad Hoc Joint Action Group for the benefit of all those MILF presence. Company who killed Zulkifli
cent owned and operated by “It is very difficult for pas- to prevent any untoward in- who were aggrieved.  May Last Tuesday, the National Bin Hir alias Marwan in his
a Filipino citizen. sengers to take a ride un- cident when the subpoenas they find solace as well in Bureau of Investigation and hut in Barangay Pidsandawan
In May, the Department der such instances. Are you are served on the suspects the various forms of assis- the National Prosecution Ser- in Mamasapano.
of Transportation and Com- [Uber] not taking advantage in the Mamasapano incident tance provided and healing vice filed criminal complaints “The government cease-
munications issued Depart- of the commuters? So we affiliated with the Moro Is- initiatives initiated by both against 90 individuals, includ- fire mechanism and Ad Hoc
ment Order 2015-11, di- asked the to justify their price lamic Liberation Front. government and non-gov- ing 26 MILF members, over Joint Action Group will co-
recting the LTFRB to allow surging. That is where the Senator Ferdinand “Bong- ernmental groups.” the killing of 35 SAF troopers.  operate and do their best to
the accreditation of TNCs LTFRB steps in,” he added. bong” Marcos Jr. for his part “At the same time, let not A total of 44 troopers were prevent any untoward inci-
urged the Department of the bigger project of putting killed in a police operation dent when the duly autho-
Justice to ensure no unnec- in place the reformed insti- dubbed Oplan Exodus in rized Department of Justice

Graft court convicts essary delay would hinder

the preliminary investiga-
tutions in the Bangsamoro
through the passage of a
Mamasapano, Maguindanao
after a firefight with the MILF,
personnel serve the sub-
poena to identified suspects

ex-mayor, 2 others tion of the murder complaint

against the 90 respondents
in the killing of 44 Special
good basic law and the im-
plementation of the different
normalization programs fall
members of the Bangsamoro
Islamic Freedom Fighters,
and private armed groups.
who may be affiliated with
the Moro Islamic Liberation
Front,” Ferrer said. With
THE Sandiganbayan’s Special Second Division has con- Action Force commandos in on the wayside,” Ferrer said. The complaint covered Macon Ramos-Araneta
victed a former mayor of Camalig, Albay and three other
town officials for graft over an anomalous contract for
the repair and maintenance of the municipality’s service
vehicles.
In a 23-page decision, the anti-graft court found former
Camalig Mayor Paz Muñoz, ex-accountant Rem Ortonio,
ex-treasurer Armando Quintano and ex-engineer Rogelio
Naz Jr. guilty of violation of Section 3 (e) of Republic Act
3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.
The court ordered the imprisonment of the respondents
for six years and one month and perpetual disqualification
from holding public office.
Muñoz and his co-accused used their positions to illegally
award a contract to Legazpi Tireworld Corp. after a rigged
public bidding in 2003.
According to the Sandiganbayan, the contract was for the
supposed repair and maintenance of the municipality’s ser-
vice vehicles, a dump truck and an ambulance.
Citing the Commission on Audit findings, the court said
the local officials made excessive payments to the Legazpi
Tireworld Corp.
In a report, CoA said the payment made to Tireworld of Market sale. Manila Rep. Amado Bagatsing (3rd from left) explains to mediamen how vendors suffers when private
P447,027.53 in just a year was exorbitant considering that there firms take over public markets. The congressman has asked his colleagues to hold a congressional probe into the privatiza-
were only five vehicles involved in the contract. Rio Araja tion of 17 Manila public markets. JOEL ZURBANO
 T H U R S D AY : S E P T E M B E R 24 , 2 0 1 5

NEWS
editorial@thestandard.com.ph
A7
Pangasinan
towns’ flood
control plan
Education Department
missing, says
vice mayor
to test school principals
By A. Perez Rimando Garma said the test covers eight years as master teacher, or five
By Abe P. Belena   major topics: School Leadership, years as teacher III with 40 hours
Instructional Leadership,  Creat- of relevant trainings, with a per-
THE master plan to control PAGADIAN CITY,  Zamboanga del Sur—The ing Student-Centered Learning formance rating of very satisfac-
yearly flooding in Sta. Bar- Department of Education, through the National Climate,  Human Resource Man- tory for the past two years, and
bara, Calasiao and Dagupan agement and Professional Devel- with a certification of no pending
City drawn years ago by the Ja- Educators Academy of the Philippines, has opment, Parent Involvement and administrative case.
pan International Cooperation scheduled a national school principals test Community Partnership,  School Successful examinees will later
Agency has been lost, eluding
local officials from finding a for Sept. 27, Sunday, in all 16 regions, a local Management and Operations, be appointed as heads of learning
Personal and Professional Attri- centers without principals or to
lasting solution to the problem. education official said. butes and Interpersonal Effective- fill up positions vacated by re-
This was revealed by Cala-
siao Vice Mayor Roy Macanla- DepEd Region 9 Director Mal- in the public education sector.” ness, and 21st  Century Managerial tired school administrators.
lay during the Breakfast Club colm S. Garma said Education The scheme will also eliminate and Leadership Skills. Luistro added that the test will
meeting at the President Hotel Secretary Armin Luistro’s mem- the alleged malpractice of some Educators qualified to take the ultimately upgrade elementary
in Lingayen last Wednesday. orandum his office here received school executives of promoting Principal’s exam, Luistro said,   are and secondary school supervi-
“I tried to locate the master recently said the examination, teachers largely on the basis of those with at least one year expe- sion and improve the delivery
plan in our engineering of- will “serve as a mechanism    for “whom you know and not what rience as head teacher, two years of quality basic education in the
fice. It was not there. I went selecting competent school heads you know.” as school teacher-in-charge, two country’s public school system.
to the DPWH central office in
Manila. They have no copy of
the plan,” the vice mayor who
was mayor of his town for nine
years, said.
He revealed that when he and
Benjie Lim of Dagupan were
incumbent mayors, they initi-
ated talks on how to solve the
flooding caused by the swelling
of the Sinukalan River that cuts
through the three central Pan-
gasinan communities.
That led to a study made by
the JICA on how to come out
with a common solution. But
when he recently looked for the
master plan, he discovered it
was not in the files.
The Sinukalan River, accord-
ing to retired NIA engineer Rey
Mencias, is separate from the
Agno River system and its flood
control facilities should be
dealt with independently.
When the local government
of Sta. Barbara rebuilt its dilapi-
dated flood control dikes, the
flood waters inundated Cala-
siao downstream in the past few
rainy seasons.
To protect the booming busi-
ness district of Calasiao, the lo-
cal government has upgraded its
own flood control dikes which
are about to be completed, Ma-
canlalay revealed.
This will, in effect, transfer
the flood waters to Dagupan
City with many of its communi-
ties already at sea level that go
under water during high tide. Construction boom. Workers align steel bars for a supermall along C.M. Recto in Cagayan de Oro City. LANCE BACONGUIS

Man kills sister over shelter

assistance in Leyte town
By Mel Caspe victim’s house after Ronnie ar-
rived, drunk, from a neighbor’s
DULAG, Leyte—Local police is house. They argued and the
looking into the case of a man suspect pulled out a gun and
who shot his own sister to death shot the victim.
Sunday afternoon in Barangay Nenita was immediately
San Rafael, supposedly over the brought to the hospital but she
Emergency Shelter Assistance was declared dead on arrival.
distributed by the Social Wel- Beneficiaries from Dulag town
fare Department to victims of only recently received their ESAs.
Typhoon “Yolanda.” Residents of totally damaged
The town’s Philippine Na- houses received P30,000 while
tional Police officer in charge those of partially damaged house
P/SInsp. Miguelito N. Bocade received P10,000.
identified the victim as Nenita The suspect immediately
Daguinot y Cayubit, 40. left the area but the Leyte
The suspect was identified as Province Police Office is try-
her elder brother Ronnie, 48. ing to locate him. Authorities
According to investigators, are preparing parricide charg-
Peace candles. Students light candles in Cagayan de Oro as they participate in the Walk for Peace event this the siblings were talking in the es against Ronnie.
week. LANCE BACONGUIS
 T H U R S D AY : S E P T E M B E R 24 , 2 0 1 5

A8 OPINION
lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph
ADELLE CHUA
EDITOR
A9

OPINION
VIEW FROM
MALCOM
ATTY. HARRY
ROQUE JR.

[ EDI TORI A L ] THE POE

HEARING
A CONVENIENT COURTESY of live streaming, many of us
were able to listen to the oral arguments

CONFUSION
in the Senate Electoral Tribunal that
is hearing the quo warranto petition
that seeks to expel Senator Grace Poe
from the Senate. The lone ground to be
addressed by the Tribunal is a legal issue:
IT’S A given: Whoever holds power in Malacañang has the distinct advantage. Is Grace Poe, as a foundling, a natural-
But that it’s a given does not mean it should be taken without question. born Filipino?
My views on this issue have been
These final months of the Aquino administration, the focus of the President’s published in this column before. She is
entire team appears to be ensuring that his anointed, the former Secretary of the not a natural-born Filipino because under
Interior and Local Government, gets elected as president in May 2016. Manuel the 1935 and the 1987 Constitutions,
only those whose fathers or mothers are
Roxas II is being made out to be the only person able to continue the straight Filipinos are classified as natural-born
path of good governance that the President has begun. Filipinos.  Unless Poe can pinpoint either
Mr. Aquino himself leads his team in blurring the lines between government, of her biological parents as a Filipino, she
does not meet the qualification to run for
which is supposed to cover Filipinos whatever their political stripes, and the the post of senator or president.
Liberal Party, of which he is chairman but which only applies to its Yellow-shirt Critics of my view cite a provision
sporting members. in the 1961 Convention to Reduce
Statelessness that allegedly gives
On cue, Palace spokespersons like Secretary Edwin Lacierda have also jumped foundlings a “presumption” to be a
into the murky pool that confuses their official functions with the political natural-born Filipino as a ‘general
interests of the president they speak for. principle of law.” I have highlighted
the fact the 1961 Convention is not
They have done so to a point that the putative vice presidential candidate of
customary international law since it only
another camp has called on the spokesman to resign for serving the party in the has 63 state parties out of 197 states today.
guise of speaking for the highest official of the land. To be customary, there must be virtually
uniform state practice. The fact that only
The Senate president and the vice chairman of the Liberal Party was quick to
a minority of states today have ratified
come to the spokesman’s rescue. Senator Franklin Drilon said Lacierda need not the said convention belies the existence of
resign because he is not even a member of the Liberal Party anyway. this element.
What he is, Drilon continues, is an extension of the President. And since this is I feel vindicated that despite the “expert
views” of those who have never taught nor
a political season, the spokesman can very well speak on behalf of the country’s studied international law,” the Justices
political leader. who are members of the SET appear to
This is precisely what’s wrong. Mr. Aquino should have stopped being a share my view. Is this not discriminatory
against foundlings? Certainly! But so is
politician when he got elected to Malacañang. He should have ditched his yellow- the constitutional rule that only natural-
ribbon pin for something more unifying, say a Philippine flag. That he is leader born Filipinos can stand for the offices of
of the entire nation is so much more important than his being a leader of a single members of both Houses of Congress and
for the top executive posts of the land.
political party. The rule in fact is discriminatory against
Then again, must we expect this straight-path-treading, do-nothing- those who acquired their citizenship
wrong administration to even admit that it is wrong or out of bounds? In the through naturalization. Dura lex. Sed lex.
The law might be harsh but that is the law.
past five years, we have had plenty of practice. We should give up expecting The remedy is for the sovereign people to
our Yellow leaders to own up to the fact that they are, like so many of their amend the Constitution and do away with
predecessors whom they have publicly despised, milking their incumbency the discrimination against naturalized
Filipinos.
advantage to the hilt. It too was not surprising that some
We feel strongly but cannot do anything about it. All we can do is to remember senators who are members of the tribunal
this arrogance and this hypocrisy when we’re voting. appear to view the issue along partisan
lines. Poe’s supporters,   such as Senators
Pia Cayetano, Loren Legarda (both of
whom are from the Nacionalista Party)
flyover or interchange that was built because everyone was already taking nothing should be done by way of

THE BIG TRAFFIC LIE

rail systems that he inherited to and Senator Tito Sotto asked questions
deteriorate to their current sad during his term using the humongous the efficient and cheap trains that ran building new metropolitan roads or
that were sympathetic to Poe. On the
state of disrepair. funds at his administration’s overhead. Now, it gets reported as news even of making sure that the commuter other hand, presidential cousin and LP
gathered that the direct cause companies like an industry It was not a direct admission disposal. And remember, this is an when the overloaded trains don’t break trains were properly maintained, let Senator Bam Aquino appears to favor
of the chaotic traffic situation spokesman, which, given of failure, I understand. But administration that has not spent down, and people walk along the major alone improved. the Justices. Surprisingly, only Senators
LOWDOWN
in Metro Manila is the sheer his love of automobiles and I think we if government cannot be P500 billion in allocated funds in the roads because they can’t even catch a And that seems perfectly fine with Cynthia Villar and even Nancy Binay
JOJO A. expected to anticipate the ever- previous two years and P80 billion in bus ride. the millions of people who suffer in appear to have open minds on the issue.
ROBLES
volume of new vehicles, “which
no one could have predicted.”
legendary attention to detail
on issues that he is passionate
should all stop increasing number of cars and the first half of this year alone. Of course, Aquino has also moved traffic every blessed day (including This is hardly surprising as precisely, the
This is as big a whopper as about, isn’t really surprising. But whining about take measures to mitigate the And those who have not yet suffered
from total memory loss will recall that
away from his earlier position that
traffic is a good thing, because it
during weekends) in Metro Manila. I
guess it’s true that we get the government
people, while it mandated the SET to be
IF ANY other President had I’ve heard Aquino say over the as good as he is with his figures situation, then whose job is the SOLE judge of all questions involving
blamed the daily ordeal of years—and it speaks volumes on increased sales volumes traffic now, if that? when Aquino took over in 2010, the supposedly means economic growth. that we deserve; and I think we should qualifications for the post of senators,
traffic jams in Metro Manila on But there is no avoiding buses on Edsa were already running But because of this strange policy of his, all stop whining about traffic now, if we agreed that there should be at least three
increased car sales instead of on
of just how useless the current
occupant of Malacañang Palace
for the entire car industry, he
wasn’t as well-versed with what
we refuse to the inconvenient truths about half-empty, just like the jeepneys on outlined early on in his administration, refuse to see the official incompetence Justices of the Supreme Court sitting
his own incompetence, he’d be really is, when it comes to his government has done to see the official the traffic situation: No new Aurora Boulevard and Taft Avenue, he seems to have concluded that that caused it. Continued on A11 Continued on A11
laughed out—or pried out, most solving the problems that really anticipate the perfectly natural infrastructure was built by this
likely, by irate motorists and matter to ordinary citizens like phenomenon of more people incompetence administration in Metro Manila, Rolando G. Estabillo Publisher
commuters—of Malacañang. and what public transport MST Management, Inc.
you and me. needing more cars.
that caused it.
5550. P.O. Box 2933, Manila Central Jojo A. Robles Editor-in-Chief
Post Office, Manila. Website: www.
Ramonchito L. Tomeldan Managing Editor
But Noynoy Aquino, even when In an exclusive sit-down with There is a simple reason for systems that were working manilastandardtoday.com E-mail:
contact@thestandard.com.ph Philip G. Romualdez Chairman Chin Wong/Ray S. Eñano Associate Editors
he is most candid about how Tina Monzon-Palma aired over this: Aquino didn’t build any before Aquino took over have Published Monday to Sunday by Philippine Arnold C. Liong President & Chief Executive Officer Francis Lagniton News Editor
Manila Standard Publishing Inc. at 6/F
worthless he has been, somehow the ABS-CBN News Channel new roads in Metro Manila. virtually ground to a halt. Universal Re Building, 106 Paseo de Roxas, MST
ONLINE
can be accessed at:
www.manilastandardtoday.com
Former Chief Justice Reynato S. Puno Board Member & Chief Legal Adviser Joyce Pangco Pañares
Adelle Chua
City Editor
Senior Deskman
corner Perea St., Legaspi Village, Makati City. Jocelyn F. Domingo Director of Operations
gets a pass. Tuesday night, Aquino rattled And he simultaneously allowed Aquino cannot point to any Telephone numbers 832-5554, 832-5556, MEMBER Ron Ryan S. Buguis Finance Officer Romel J. Mendez Art Director
PPI
Philippine Press Institute
832-5558 (connecting all departments), Roberto Cabrera Chief Photographer
From Aquino himself, I off the sales figures of the car the once-efficient commuter new metropolitan road, bridge, (Editorial), 832-5546, (Advertising), 832-
The National Association
of Philippine Newspapers

Ma. Isabel “Gina” P. Verzosa Head, Advertising Solutions Anita F. Grefal Treasury Manager Edgar M. Valmorida Circulation Manager Emil P. Jurado Chairman Emeritus, Editiorial Board
 T H U R S D AY : S E P T E M B E R 24 , 2 0 1 5

A8 OPINION
lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph
ADELLE CHUA
EDITOR
A9

OPINION
VIEW FROM
MALCOM
ATTY. HARRY
ROQUE JR.

[ EDI TORI A L ] THE POE

HEARING
A CONVENIENT COURTESY of live streaming, many of us
were able to listen to the oral arguments

CONFUSION
in the Senate Electoral Tribunal that
is hearing the quo warranto petition
that seeks to expel Senator Grace Poe
from the Senate. The lone ground to be
addressed by the Tribunal is a legal issue:
IT’S A given: Whoever holds power in Malacañang has the distinct advantage. Is Grace Poe, as a foundling, a natural-
But that it’s a given does not mean it should be taken without question. born Filipino?
My views on this issue have been
These final months of the Aquino administration, the focus of the President’s published in this column before. She is
entire team appears to be ensuring that his anointed, the former Secretary of the not a natural-born Filipino because under
Interior and Local Government, gets elected as president in May 2016. Manuel the 1935 and the 1987 Constitutions,
only those whose fathers or mothers are
Roxas II is being made out to be the only person able to continue the straight Filipinos are classified as natural-born
path of good governance that the President has begun. Filipinos.  Unless Poe can pinpoint either
Mr. Aquino himself leads his team in blurring the lines between government, of her biological parents as a Filipino, she
does not meet the qualification to run for
which is supposed to cover Filipinos whatever their political stripes, and the the post of senator or president.
Liberal Party, of which he is chairman but which only applies to its Yellow-shirt Critics of my view cite a provision
sporting members. in the 1961 Convention to Reduce
Statelessness that allegedly gives
On cue, Palace spokespersons like Secretary Edwin Lacierda have also jumped foundlings a “presumption” to be a
into the murky pool that confuses their official functions with the political natural-born Filipino as a ‘general
interests of the president they speak for. principle of law.” I have highlighted
the fact the 1961 Convention is not
They have done so to a point that the putative vice presidential candidate of
customary international law since it only
another camp has called on the spokesman to resign for serving the party in the has 63 state parties out of 197 states today.
guise of speaking for the highest official of the land. To be customary, there must be virtually
uniform state practice. The fact that only
The Senate president and the vice chairman of the Liberal Party was quick to
a minority of states today have ratified
come to the spokesman’s rescue. Senator Franklin Drilon said Lacierda need not the said convention belies the existence of
resign because he is not even a member of the Liberal Party anyway. this element.
What he is, Drilon continues, is an extension of the President. And since this is I feel vindicated that despite the “expert
views” of those who have never taught nor
a political season, the spokesman can very well speak on behalf of the country’s studied international law,” the Justices
political leader. who are members of the SET appear to
This is precisely what’s wrong. Mr. Aquino should have stopped being a share my view. Is this not discriminatory
against foundlings? Certainly! But so is
politician when he got elected to Malacañang. He should have ditched his yellow- the constitutional rule that only natural-
ribbon pin for something more unifying, say a Philippine flag. That he is leader born Filipinos can stand for the offices of
of the entire nation is so much more important than his being a leader of a single members of both Houses of Congress and
for the top executive posts of the land.
political party. The rule in fact is discriminatory against
Then again, must we expect this straight-path-treading, do-nothing- those who acquired their citizenship
wrong administration to even admit that it is wrong or out of bounds? In the through naturalization. Dura lex. Sed lex.
The law might be harsh but that is the law.
past five years, we have had plenty of practice. We should give up expecting The remedy is for the sovereign people to
our Yellow leaders to own up to the fact that they are, like so many of their amend the Constitution and do away with
predecessors whom they have publicly despised, milking their incumbency the discrimination against naturalized
Filipinos.
advantage to the hilt. It too was not surprising that some
We feel strongly but cannot do anything about it. All we can do is to remember senators who are members of the tribunal
this arrogance and this hypocrisy when we’re voting. appear to view the issue along partisan
lines. Poe’s supporters,   such as Senators
Pia Cayetano, Loren Legarda (both of
whom are from the Nacionalista Party)
flyover or interchange that was built because everyone was already taking nothing should be done by way of

THE BIG TRAFFIC LIE

rail systems that he inherited to and Senator Tito Sotto asked questions
deteriorate to their current sad during his term using the humongous the efficient and cheap trains that ran building new metropolitan roads or
that were sympathetic to Poe. On the
state of disrepair. funds at his administration’s overhead. Now, it gets reported as news even of making sure that the commuter other hand, presidential cousin and LP
gathered that the direct cause companies like an industry It was not a direct admission disposal. And remember, this is an when the overloaded trains don’t break trains were properly maintained, let Senator Bam Aquino appears to favor
of the chaotic traffic situation spokesman, which, given of failure, I understand. But administration that has not spent down, and people walk along the major alone improved. the Justices. Surprisingly, only Senators
LOWDOWN
in Metro Manila is the sheer his love of automobiles and I think we if government cannot be P500 billion in allocated funds in the roads because they can’t even catch a And that seems perfectly fine with Cynthia Villar and even Nancy Binay
JOJO A. expected to anticipate the ever- previous two years and P80 billion in bus ride. the millions of people who suffer in appear to have open minds on the issue.
ROBLES
volume of new vehicles, “which
no one could have predicted.”
legendary attention to detail
on issues that he is passionate
should all stop increasing number of cars and the first half of this year alone. Of course, Aquino has also moved traffic every blessed day (including This is hardly surprising as precisely, the
This is as big a whopper as about, isn’t really surprising. But whining about take measures to mitigate the And those who have not yet suffered
from total memory loss will recall that
away from his earlier position that
traffic is a good thing, because it
during weekends) in Metro Manila. I
guess it’s true that we get the government
people, while it mandated the SET to be
IF ANY other President had I’ve heard Aquino say over the as good as he is with his figures situation, then whose job is the SOLE judge of all questions involving
blamed the daily ordeal of years—and it speaks volumes on increased sales volumes traffic now, if that? when Aquino took over in 2010, the supposedly means economic growth. that we deserve; and I think we should qualifications for the post of senators,
traffic jams in Metro Manila on But there is no avoiding buses on Edsa were already running But because of this strange policy of his, all stop whining about traffic now, if we agreed that there should be at least three
increased car sales instead of on
of just how useless the current
occupant of Malacañang Palace
for the entire car industry, he
wasn’t as well-versed with what
we refuse to the inconvenient truths about half-empty, just like the jeepneys on outlined early on in his administration, refuse to see the official incompetence Justices of the Supreme Court sitting
his own incompetence, he’d be really is, when it comes to his government has done to see the official the traffic situation: No new Aurora Boulevard and Taft Avenue, he seems to have concluded that that caused it. Continued on A11 Continued on A11
laughed out—or pried out, most solving the problems that really anticipate the perfectly natural infrastructure was built by this
likely, by irate motorists and matter to ordinary citizens like phenomenon of more people incompetence administration in Metro Manila, Rolando G. Estabillo Publisher
commuters—of Malacañang. and what public transport MST Management, Inc.
you and me. needing more cars.
that caused it.
5550. P.O. Box 2933, Manila Central Jojo A. Robles Editor-in-Chief
Post Office, Manila. Website: www.
Ramonchito L. Tomeldan Managing Editor
But Noynoy Aquino, even when In an exclusive sit-down with There is a simple reason for systems that were working manilastandardtoday.com E-mail:
contact@thestandard.com.ph Philip G. Romualdez Chairman Chin Wong/Ray S. Eñano Associate Editors
he is most candid about how Tina Monzon-Palma aired over this: Aquino didn’t build any before Aquino took over have Published Monday to Sunday by Philippine Arnold C. Liong President & Chief Executive Officer Francis Lagniton News Editor
Manila Standard Publishing Inc. at 6/F
MST Former Chief Justice Reynato S. Puno Board Member & Chief Legal Adviser Joyce Pangco Pañares City Editor
worthless he has been, somehow the ABS-CBN News Channel new roads in Metro Manila. virtually ground to a halt. Universal Re Building, 106 Paseo de Roxas,
corner Perea St., Legaspi Village, Makati City. ONLINE
can be accessed at:
www.manilastandardtoday.com Jocelyn F. Domingo Director of Operations Adelle Chua Senior Deskman
gets a pass. Tuesday night, Aquino rattled And he simultaneously allowed Aquino cannot point to any Telephone numbers 832-5554, 832-5556, MEMBER Ron Ryan S. Buguis Finance Officer Romel J. Mendez Art Director
PPI
Philippine Press Institute
832-5558 (connecting all departments), Roberto Cabrera Chief Photographer
From Aquino himself, I off the sales figures of the car the once-efficient commuter new metropolitan road, bridge, (Editorial), 832-5546, (Advertising), 832-
The National Association
of Philippine Newspapers

Ma. Isabel “Gina” P. Verzosa Head, Advertising Solutions Anita F. Grefal Treasury Manager Edgar M. Valmorida Circulation Manager Emil P. Jurado Chairman Emeritus, Editiorial Board
 T H U R S D AY : S E P T E M B E R 24 , 2 0 1 5

A10 OPINION
lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

WHAT LET THE CONTEST BEGIN

HAPPENED DUTY
CALLS
ers of this paper and others
considered as opposition
see her as an upstart who
came from out of nowhere
Mar Roxas occupying first
and second. But a lot of

TO THE FLORENCIO
FIANZA
papers, are clearly against
the senator. My view on
this issue, however, is not
to become the frontrun-
ner in the race to become
President. Fortunately,
questions have been raised
about the methodology
used in this survey. Suspi-

DONATIONS? WHEN taxi drivers start

talking passionately about
politics, that is a clear sign
legal. I will go to the extent
of conceding that she is a
natural-born citizen and
however, these people will
not decide on who should
be president. The Filipino
cions abound that the rea-
son it was done this way was
to favor a certain candidate.
In fact, if they are both that election fever is al- could therefore run for electorate will. Experienced pollsters
TO THE
elected, it will be Senator ready upon us. president. But more im- This drama will un- tend to agree with this. Af-
POINT
Chiz Escudero who will This is exactly what hap- portant in my estimation doubtedly be played fur- ter all, people will be asked
EMIL P. pened to us of all places, is her motivation. It would ther but should be decided to vote for one president
JURADO running the government
in place of Poe. in Guam. During a week- seem that in running for with finality as quickly as and one vice president.
I CAN’T believe it—Presi- I have nothing personal end trip to the island, this president at this time, possible for the good of all. Voters will not be ask to list
dent Aquino is ignorant of against Grace. I do not Filipino taxi driver, when she is more opportunistic The two other declared down their three prefer-
the Constitution! know her very well. One he found out that we were than the patriot that she is candidates, former Secre- ences and whoever get the
When asked in a one- time, our friend Marichu visiting, started to give an claiming to be. tary Mar Roxas, and Vice highest number of firsts
on-one ANC interview Maceda brought Grace to impromptu discourse on This is what is disturbing. President Jejomar Binay, become the president and
what he thought of the our former condominium Philippine presidential Can we for instance trust have their own serious vice president, respective-
disqualification case unit at Greenbelt. I was not politics, including the bad a person who can change problems to contend with. ly. It simply is not done this
pending before the Senate around at that time, but and good points of all the citizenships so easily to be Both cannot seem to be way and the explanation of
Electoral Tribunal against my wife was. They became leading presidential wan- our president? After finish- able to convince people to the SWS does not wash.
Senator Grace Poe, the instant friends. nabes. He also told us ing her college education run as their running mates. For Mar Roxas it has
President replied: Let the As a lawyer, I also be- whom he will vote for. in America, she got mar- Mar Roxas, if the reports always been a question of
people decide. lieve that the law and the It was both surprising ried to her American-born are true, had to bamboozle winnability. Can he win?
I can’t believe that BS Constitution must prevail. and encouraging that over- husband, and eventually be- Leni Robredo to agree to Many believe he cannot.
Aquino III is not aware As I always say, “Dura lex seas Filipinos are keenly came a naturalized Ameri- be his running mate. VP This is because he cannot
of the requirement of the sed lex.” (The law is hard, following political devel- can citizen and would have Binay, on the other hand, seem to connect with the
Constitution that a candi- but it’s the law.) Since no- opments here. With poli- been contented living and has been saying that he masses; in fact, reports
date for the Senate, much body can be above the law, tics hogging the headlines, working there. Things has a running mate but up have it that the INC has
more for the presidency, I must say my piece on the the contest has indeed re- changed for her, however, to this time, the persons turned against him. He has
must be a natural-born citizenship issue against ally begun even if the cer- when her father Fernando that he has been mention- a reputation of being an
citizen of the Philippines. Grace. tificates of candidacy have Poe Jr., the king of Philip- ing have been denying that outstanding macro man-
That copout (palusot) of Let the chips fall where yet to be filed. pine cinema, beloved by all, there is such a deal. ager and this is touted as
the President now makes they may. Senator Grace Poe fi- passed away in 2004 after The VP up to now is his strength by his allies.
me believe that there must nally did what everyone losing the presidential elec- also still being hounded He, however, has not been
be some truth to talks that had been expecting. She tion in the same year. by allegations of corrup- able to dodge effectively all
he really has two candi- declared her intention When this happened, tion and there is no sign of the accusations of failures
dates for President—the to run for president with opportunity beckoned. She this dying down. If at all, it as DOTC and DILG sec-
anointed one, Mar Roxas, Senator Chiz Escudero as came back to the Philip- will probably pick up as the retary. He must therefore
and an alternative in case
It has been her running mate, as well pines, got appointed to a campaign season gets near- find ways to convince the
Mar does not win—Sena- nearly two as her 20-point agenda on government position, ran er. The principal strength voters to believe that he is
tor Grace Poe. He want to how she intends to govern for senator and won. Now, of VP Binay, however, in the man best suited to be
years, and the country if elected pres- she is a heartbeat away spite of all the accusations their President.
make sure either one of
them will make it. people are ident. She did this even if from the presidency. Will against him, is his ability In spite of all these al-
Santa Banana, this talk still living she is embroiled in a dis- the Filipino electorate, to relate and identify with leged weaknesses and fail-
about Grace being the qualification case before knowing this story, vote for the masses who constitute ures, however, that taxi
alternative candidate of
in tents and the Senate Electoral Tribu- someone who has forsaken majority of the voters. This driver in Guam said that he
BS Aquino III gets more bunkhouses. nal. It is a case she is well her country once to live in is the reason why he is still would vote for Mar Roxas.
credible after Grace said advised not to take lightly. the land of milk and honey there, fighting strong. This shows that he does
that she’ll never attack the A lot of media space to be their president? The latest Social Weather have his own supporters
President. has already been devoted This may be hard for Stations survey showed the among the electorate; there
*** to the citizenship issue of a lot of people to swal- VP sliding down to third are still those who believe
Some of my friends *** Senator Poe. Opinion writ- low especially those who place with Senator Poe and in him.
have asked me why I am A party-list congress-
writing negative things man said that out of decen- associated itself from The *** habilitation of Yolanda- ban Mayor Alfred Romual-
against Grace Poe, like cy, Senior Associate Justice Firm. They now have their The Aquino administra- struck areas. dez. “Remember you are a
when I say that she is not a Antonio Carpio, chairman own building. tion must give the people And then the Commis- Romualdez, and the Presi-
natural-born citizen of the of the Senate Electoral I know for a fact that the real status of the dis- sion on Audit reported that dent is an Aquino. Bahala na
Philippines. Tribunal deliberating on Carpio has nothing to do bursement of both local P382.072 million in local and kayo sa buhay nyo.” My gulay,
Truth to tell, I have the disqualification case with either The Firm or and foreign donations to foreign cash donations were that defined Mar Roxas as a
nothing personal against of Poe as senator, should the partnership of Cruz, the victims of super ty- kept idle on Secretary Dinky public official. And he is now
the “senadora.” I believe inhibit himself from the Marcelo and Tenefrancia. phoon Yolanda. Soliman’s Department of running for president?
she has the attributes of a case. Carpio is with the At one time when I ap- To this day, nearly two Social Welfare and Develop- ***
good leader—integrity, in- former law office known proached Villaraza about years after the tragedy, ment’s bank accounts. President Aquino cannot
dependence of mind and as The Firm, known as the a case pending at the Su- many Taclobanons are still My gulay, Soliman can be seem to accept the fact that
objectivity. She has shown CVC (Carpio, Villaraza, preme Court, Pancho told living in tents and bunk- sued for plunder and graft! Vietnam has overtaken the
all that as a senator for Cruz Law Office) and that me to tell my friend to hire houses. They are still com- It has been two years Philippines in the form of
three years. Avelino “Nonong” Cruz Jr. another law firm. He does plaining of lack of aid and since Yolanda devastated foreign direct investments
But, my gulay, I also is the lawyer of Mar Roxas. not like The Firm to get in- rehabilitation. Tacloban and many parts and economic growth. The
believe that anybody who The premise is wrong. volved in cases where Car- It is for this that I sup- of the Visayas. No detailed fact is that Vietnam has
aims for the presidency After Carpio was named to pio sits as judge. port the move of the House breakdown of the donations opened its doors to foreign
must have the necessary the Supreme Court during If Carpio came out with Independent Minority bloc has been made. Instead, we investments. Here in the
experience in governance. the Ramos administration, an opinion that Grace Poe led by Leyte Rep. Martin can only see the snail-paced Philippines, the Aquino
The presidency is not a he disassociated himself is a naturalized Filipino but Romualdez for an immedi- rehabilitation. Things get administration has become
training session. One must from The Firm. The CVC not natural-born under in- ate audit of and congres- worse for Soliman with a protectionist regime. The
hit the ground running. partnership has since meta- ternational and domestic sional investigation into reports that P141 million President is still against
Granting that Grace morphosed into the Pan- laws, it was his opinion. It the status of both local and worth of relief goods has amending the economic
makes it, she’ll be spend- cho Villaraza Angangco is not binding on the eight foreign donations. Nobody already expired or is about restrictions to foreigners in
ing her first year learn- Law Office which still car- other members of the SET. seems to know what has be- to expire because of the in- the Constitution.
ing what governance is all ries the logo of The Firm. Anybody can always dis- come of them. competence and ineptitude It seems he wants to pro-
about. Thus, she must rely The partnership of agree with Carpio, but I Romualdez noted that of Soliman. tect his friends in Big Busi-
on people around her who Avelino Cruz, Sonny Mar- believe his opinion on the Congress alone approved I still remember the ness against foreign compe-
could have their own per- celo and Jonathan Tene- citizenship of Poe has basis billions in last year’s na- words of former Interior Sec- tition. Now he needs their
sonal agenda. francia has also since dis- in law and the Constitution. tional budget for the re- retary Mar Roxas to Taclo- support for Mar Roxas.
 T H U R S D AY : S E P T E M B E R 24 , 2 0 1 5

OPINION
lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph
A11
MINORITY The Poe... From A9
REPORT
DANILO
SUAREZ
OF SURVEYS AND TRENDS in the tribunal who are expected to
resolve disputes according to the
Constitution and under existing
laws.  Senators should heed the
warning of the Supreme Court
MALACAÑANG and the rest of error margins of 3 percent for na- despite differences in the choice the VP in the 2010 elections and in the case of Lerias vs. Mercado:
the yellow administration’s bet tional percentages, and 6 percent for the presidential slot, party his daughter, Senator Nancy Bi- “Politicians who are members of
for the 2016 Presidential elections each for Metro Manila, balance of members were close to unified in nay, during the 2013 polls. electoral tribunals, must think and
act like judges, accordingly, they
are elated about the results of the Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao). their choice for the VP. Also, there is the contention
must resolve election controversies
Social Weather Stations survey With due respect to the SWS, Given this reality, I echo the that the sample population taken with judicial, not political,
which showed that Vice President I have repeatedly pointed out VP’s statement that “the true sur- for the survey represents the right integrity.”
Jejomar Binay’s rating had slipped in previous articles that though vey is on election day” and that ratio of the income classes and re- I am pleasantly surprised at
into third place with their bet these surveys might provide “these surveys are just popularity gional tendencies. While the image the performance of the lawyer
moving in to the second slot. some basis in terms of provid- surveys, name recall.” of the VP may have taken a beating Luna, counsel for David. While
The SWS survey which was ing a snapshot of the sentiments Moreover, I also would like to among the A and B classes because apparently no match to the great
Alexander Poblador, magna cum
conducted early this month, of a segment of our society, it emphasize that the biggest factor of the year-long Senate hearing, his
laude graduate of the UP College
showed that Senator Grace Poe does not factually represent the that influences survey results is face-to-face interaction with the of law, he seemed to have stood his
remained on top as “the people’s true outlook that will determine the questions provided by the poll- majority of the rest of the popula- ground firmly and only showed
choice” with a rating of 47 per- the choices of the voting public. sters. Hence, when you conduct a tion can never be battered by the signs of buckling down after two
cent (up by five points compared The 2010 national elections is the survey and you direct the survey mudslinging PR machinery of hours of intense questioning. Bra-
from her 42 percent during prime example of this. participants to just choose three the administration bet. vo to him! Anent my former boss
SWS June survey) while the VP During the campaign period, names, you have already drasti- It is laughable that the adminis- Alex, well, he is truly one of the
greatest legal minds in this coun-
slipped to third place as Liberal the VP, then Makati mayor, was cally limited their choices and in- tration bet just zoomed up in the
try. Unfortunately,  the law on the
Party standard-bearer Manuel a consistently laggard in all the directly guided the outcome of the survey. Laughable since we know matter simply was not to his favor.
Roxas miraculously took second surveys that came out. Howev- questionnaire that you present. that this bet will never get a single I make two further observa-
place, with his ratings shooting er, when election day came, the And with a plus/minus 3-6 vote from the provinces which tions. One on the statement of
up to 39 percent from a mediocre votes undoubtedly showed that percent margin of error, we could were devastated by Yolanda. Add Senate President Franklin Drilon
18 points in the June survey. the public’s choice was Binay. also assume that the 42 percent to this his proven incompetence in that the Supreme Court would
According to news reports, This belied the supposed verac- of the administration bet is tied Zamboanga during the siege and ultimately sit as judge of Poe’s eli-
gibility; and two, the scathing re-
the survey was conducted using ity of the trending and survey with the VP’s core support of their handling of the fallen SAF 44.
marks of Poe’s supporters against
face-to-face interviews of 1,200 results previously conducted. about 35 percent, which has re- The masses will, in the end, Senior Justice Antonio Carpio.
adults nationwide, 300 each in Moreover, exit polls data showed mained constant. This solid base favor the candidate which came On the first, Senator Drilon is
Metro Manila, balance of Luzon, that support for the VP actually among the Filipino masses repre- from their class and not from the wrong that the Supreme Court is
Visayas and Mindanao (sampling cut across party lines, and that sents the people who supported cacique, landed, ruling elite. the ultimate judge of a senator’s
qualifications.  Under our Con-
stitution, it is the Senate Electoral
Tribunal which is the “sole judge of
POP GOES
THE WORLD ‘BAYAN O SARILI?’ all contests relating to the election,
returns and qualifications of their
members”. Here, I can only think
JENNY ings viewers applauded at the intellects of its viewers. tor and award-winning poet of one case where the Supreme
ORTUOSTE conclusion, as if a Philippine Air- Such is its appeal that interest Alma Anonas-Carpio put it, Court disturbed the ruling of an
lines pilot were touching down in the history of the Philippine “We have Gabriela Silang, Teresa Electoral Tribunal, which is the
“BAYAN o sarili”—country or self? in Manila after a long-haul flight Revolution has spiked. The com- Magbanua, and so many other Lerias case. In that case, Justice Is-
This is perhaps the most agani Cruz in his dissent deplored
from a foreign country. This is panion book, “Heneral Luna: The women who led the battles of
disturbing question that indie the obvious partisan voting of the
an apt analogy if one considers History Behind the Movie,” Ria the Philippine Revolution from
historical-action biopic Heneral politicians who were members of
Tarog as pilot and the film the ve- Limjap’s interview of historian the front, bolos and rifles out. the House of Representatives Elec-
Luna poses to the viewer. It hicle that brought us to a differ- Vivencio Jose, whose book “The Because valor, courage, and love toral Tribunal: “It becomes only
forces a setting aside of the ent land, one of new realizations Rise and Fall of Antonio Luna” of country are traits that do not too obvious then that by sheer
complacency of daily life to make and comprehensions. provided much of the back- choose genders.” force of numbers; by overturning,
way for soul-searching and an Heneral Luna’s triumph is ground and detail for the film, Heneral Luna also reminds at the post-appreciation stage, the
internal debate on the definition, that it bothers us, makes us sold out quickly in bookstores. us that the issues of their time rulings earlier made by the Tribu-
and acceptance, of an individual squirm in our seats, as we ask For the most part, the people remain unresolved to this day nal admitting the claimed ballots
definition of ‘bayan’ and how this ourselves: if that were myself, behind it cannot account for its —regionalism, infighting, per- for Protestant Lerias; by depart-
influences and shapes the ‘sarili.’ how would I respond, how instant popularity. On the Hener- sonal agenda above the collective ing from the interpretation of the
Heneral Luna, directed by Jer- would I react? Would I be able to al Luna Facebook page, executive good, envy, lack of discipline, the neighborhood rule heretofore
rold Tarog, with a cast composed put nation above family and self producer Fernando M. Ortigas ascendance of the oligarchy, colo- consistently followed by the Tribu-
mostly of theater stalwarts, is and sacrifice all, even my life? and screenwriter-producer E. A. nial mentality, and a failure of the nal; by injecting `strange jurispru-
being lavished with critical and The “ang mamatay nang dahil Rocha said in a joint statement: individual moral compass. dence,’ particularly on the intent
public acclaim. Still in theaters sa iyo” motif is so inculcated in “[T]he beautiful irony of it These were also the concerns rule; the majority has succeeded in
after popular demand, it was re- each Filipino who grew up in this all is that, now, through some of Jose Rizal’s writings and those altering the figures that reflect the
cently named the country’s of- country, that dying for country in magic, we’ve been rewarded with of others of that movement, final outcome of this election pro-
ficial entry to the 2016 Oscar war or other ideological struggle a film that is pleasing its audi- and it shows us what we have test and, in the process, thwarting
Awards’ Best Foreign Language is considered glorious and the ences no end, with a film that’s failed to achieve in more than the true will of the electorate in the
Film category. just due of Inang Bayan, a mental entertaining, enlightening, and a hundred years since then. On lone district of Southern Leyte.”
Among the historical films, this It is clear that absent such ob-
construct deified as cult goddess. educational.”               a note of hope, it is a map that
one refuses to become a hagiogra- vious partisanship, the Supreme
Yet how few are those truly   I would like to see Artikulo can guide our efforts, if only we
phy—the usual Filipino approach Court will honor the textual com-
willing to do so, as Luna asks Fe- Uno Productions make the other learn the lessons of that past and mitment of the Constitution that
to personages enshrined as na- lipe Buencamino when the latter films that will complete the tril- use them to remake our present the Electoral Tribunals shall be the
tional heroes—and instead decon- insists he loves the Philippines: ogy foreshadowed in Heneral and transform our future. “sole Judge “ of all electoral con-
structs these icons and presents Enough to die for her? Luna: about Gregorio del Pilar Most of all, Heneral Luna re- tests in both houses of Congress.
them as they are, men and women For making us think and feel and his ill-fated stand at Tirad minds us we still have much work Anent the attacks on Justice
of their time and place. We can re- about these ideas, Heneral Luna Pass, and Manuel L. Quezon, to do to build our nation. Adel- Carpio who, in the 20 or so times
late to them and understand their succeeds. aide-de-camp to Aguinaldo and ante, compatriotas!        I have argued in the Court, has
motivations and actions. This is With this film, director Jer- himself later, in a spin of fate, be- ***  proven to be most cerebral of all
why the film rings true and appeals rold Tarog has succeeded in coming the second president of Facebook: Jenny Ortuoste, our justices, I can only tell Poe
to a wide audience. “catching the wind,” as a line in the Philippines. Twitter: @jennyortuoste, Ins- and her supporters that he is  an
I watched Heneral Luna twice the film goes, and unleashed it as Let us also have films that tagram: @jensdecember, Blog:  upright and acknowledged indi-
at the cinema, and at both screen- a whirlwind upon the hearts and celebrate our she-roes! As edi- http://jennyo.net vidual who has never hidden his
ties with ‘The Firm’. They should
have moved to inhibit him at the
The big... From A9 *** people are complaining about Filipinos allowed their President onset, and not now, after he has
I don’t know when this traffic in Metro Manila, which to repeatedly excuse himself issued his statement. Moreover, if
All that noise about traffic in phenomenon of complaining but has cost so much in time, money for not doing his job using the pre-judgment is the ground for in-
traditional and social media isn’t not complaining enough to get to and productivity lost over flimsiest of reasons, as Aquino so hibition, then Senators Cayetano,
worth anything, if people can’t the root of the problem started. the past five years. And we all often has. And maybe, when that Legarda and Sotto should also in-
And I wish I knew when, exactly, know who was supposed to be day comes, we will all snap out of hibit themselves because they too
see beyond the gridlock in front
it became fashionable to take a in charge—but really wasn’t— the collective spell cast upon us have shown their pre-judgments in
of them. So enjoy your journey favor of Poe.
President’s word for anything— during that time. and see this incompetent Chief
on the straight path, which may even when he is obviously lying One day, when this Executive for what he really is. I may have doubts about the ju-
lead you to somewhere nice, through his teeth like Aquino administration is no longer in Meanwhile, we all have to get dicial system in this country. Thus
if only the traffic weren’t so was during his ANC interview. power, perhaps someone will somewhere. Best to leave as early far, though, the SET appears to
hellishly bad. All I know is that so many explain to me how so many as we can to avoid traffic. have proven me wrong.
A12
t h u r s d ay : s e p t e m b e r 24 , 2 0 1 5

WORLD
cesar barrioquinto
EDITOR

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

Francis to visit White House

WASHINGTON—President Barack Obama will
host Pope Francis at the White House for the first
tive as their current successors are
progressive.
unlikely to wade directly into
America’s bitterly fought politics. N. Korea
Still, the White House is des- The Vatican played a crucial role
time Wednesday [Thursday in Manila], warmly perate to avoid suggestions it is in brokering talks between Havana threat
co-opting a holy man revered and Washington that led to the re-
embracing the Catholic pontiff seen as both a by America’s roughly 70 million cent restoration of diplomatic ties discussed
moral authority and potent political ally. Catholics to batter Republican after more than half a century.

The packed and bedecked South gentine’s plane Tuesday, bringing

foes in Congress.
“The goal of this meeting is to
Before leaving Cuba on Tuesday,
Francis urged Cubans “to build
by allies
Lawn will echo to strains of the his wife, daughters, Vice President give the two men the opportunity bridges, break down walls, sow SEOUL—Senior South Ko-
Pontifical Anthem and a thunder- Joe Biden and his extended family to talk about their shared values,” seeds of reconciliation,” in com- rean and US defense officials
ing 21-gun salute, as the 78-year- to underscore the point. said White House spokesman Josh ments that appeared to allude to the met in Seoul on Wednesday
old is afforded a full ceremonial The effusive greeting is part pro- Earnest.   nascent reconciliation across the for talks focused on respond-
welcome on his historic maiden tocol, part politics―reflecting com- “There’ll be time for politics, Florida Straits. ing to the possibility of an im-
visit to the United States. mon ground between the protes- frankly, the other 364 days of the But the pope also told reporters minent North Korean rocket
Washington a city that ordi- tant president and the Jesuit pope year,” he said. that he would not specifically raise launch and later nuclear test.
narily shrugs its shoulders when on a gamut of issues from climate “At least for that one meeting, it Washington’s embargo of Cuba in The two-day talks fol-
presidents, queens and sheikhs change, to inequality, to immigra- will be an opportunity for the presi- his speech Thursday before Ameri- low statements earlier this
roll through town has been envel- tion, to US engagement with Cuba. dent to put politics aside and have can lawmakers who largely favor month by the respective
oped in Pope-mania and so has the The visit is a political mirror an opportunity to talk about the taking a tough line with Havana. heads of the North’s space
White House. of Pope Benedict’s 2008 visit to values that he and the pope have in “The Holy See is against this em- and atomic energy agen-
Obama made an exceedingly rare George W. Bush’s White House. common.” bargo, but it is against all embar- cies that fueled concerns
trip to the airport to meet the Ar- Those two men were as conserva- Francis has signaled he is also goes,” he said. AFP over its nuclear and ballis-
tic missile programs.
There has been wide-
spread speculation that
Pyongyang may carry out
a satellite rocket launch to
mark the 70th anniversary
of the ruling Workers’ Party
on Oct. 10.
The North insists its
space program is purely
scientific, but the US, South
Korea and their allies deem
any such rocket launch to
be a disguised ballistic mis-
sile test that violates UN
resolutions.
Although there have
been no physical signs of
North Korea preparing
a launch, the director of
its space agency said the
world would soon see “a
series of satellites... soar-
ing into the sky.”
A day later, the head of
the national atomic agency
said the North’s main nuclear
weapons complex was fully
operational including a ura-
nium enrichment plant and a
five-megawatt reactor seen as
the country’s main source of
weapons-grade plutonium.
Opening Wednesday’s
talks in Seoul, Seoul’s dep-
uty minister for policy at
the defense ministry, Yoo
Jeh-Seung, said the meeting
would seek to “firm up the
combined defense posture”
of South Korea and the
Rain. A person with an umbrella walks past a table and chairs of a cafe as rain falls on the lakeside of the Elbsee lake in southern Germany. AFP United States. AFP

Cairo homes beyond reach of the poor

CAIRO—Ahmed and Mohamed are both married lion lives in informal settlements with poor infra-
with children but still live with their mother, unable structure and buildings often constructed with no
to afford one of the hundreds of thousands of homes permits.
sitting empty in Egypt’s capital. At the same time, the government says there are
A construction boom has seen new housing de- 1.5 million vacant homes across the country.
velopments mushroom around Cairo but they are In 2013, then-housing minister Tarek Wafik, quot-
out of reach for many, including the two brothers in ed by state-run newspaper Al-Ahram, said 30 per-
their 30s. cent of the country’s housing units were left unused.
Instead, they share a three-bedroom apartment According to experts, empty units are either held
with their wives, three children, another brother and as an investment by their owner, bought for children
their mother, for a combined rent of around $10 a for when they get married, or remain empty because
month. they have no water or electricity.
Away from their rubbish-strewn neighborhood Experts blame the authorities for allowing hous-
with its tenements and narrow alleys, empty and un- ing prices to rise while not creating enough afford-
finished buildings flank the ring road that circles the able social housing.
vast metropolis. “Those projects are not made for us,” said Ahmed, Harvest time. Harvesters pick grapes during the harvest in the Domaine
Outside the city, gated compounds of villas, lush a father-of-two who earns about $160 a month Rouget on Sept. 16, 2015, in Gilly les Citeaux. Emmanuel Rouget, owner of
gardens and golf courses in the desert await those working at a slaughter house. Domaine Rouget and the nephew of late French vintner Henri Jayer, finds
with fortunes. “If you have the means, you can pay and have one. dangerous and ridiculous the prices reached by some of his late uncle’s
Almost half of Cairo’s population of about 20 mil- If not, no,” he said. AFP bottles at wine auctions. AFP
 T HURS DAY : S E P T E M B E R 2 4 , 2 0 1 5

SPORTS
sports@thestandard.com.ph
A13
Filipino
karter
stamps
class in
SEAOIL karter
Gabriel Tayao
Cabrera makes

Malaysia
his move in the
wet course of
the 2015 Asia
Max Challenge
SEAOIL karter Gabriel Series at the
Tayao Cabrera once City Karting
again made motorsports International
history, this time on the Circuit in Shah
international stage after Alam, Malaysia.
bagging a 3rd runner- Inset shows
up podium finish in the Tayao Cabrera
championship leg of the displaying the
2015 Asia Max Challenge Philippine flag.
Series at the City Karting
International Circuit in
Shah Alam, Malaysia.
Established in 2007
under the helm of James
Leong, the AMC is the
most competitive Rotax
series in Asia, attracting
hundreds of top-caliber
drivers not only from Asia
but from other continents
as well.
Backed by DC, Gold’s

Marquez not interested

Gym, Media Magic and
R’s Design Japan, Tayao
Cabrera ended the eight-
year drought for the
Philippines by becoming

in 5th fight with Pacman

the first Filipino to ever
bag a podium finish in the
series in his debut year in
the Senior class.
At 15 years old, Tayao
Cabrera is likewise the
youngest driver in the series’
premier class comprising
national champions from
By Ronnie Nathanielsz Pacquiao’s handlers are
reportedly in talks with
World Boxing Council
beneficial to the sport in
this country,” Sky Sports in
Britain reported.
Imports
all over Asia.
Known to be a superb
ALTHOUGH eight-division
champion Manny Pacquiao’s promoter
world welterweight Silver champion
Amir Khan’s people for a
Hunter told boxingscene.
com: “I would hope at some
brace for
driver especially in wet
tracks, the Philippines’
current top karter kept
Bob Arum of Top Rank wants to get Juan
Manuel Marquez in the ring for a fifth
possible Pacquiao showdown
next year, his trainer Virgil
Hunter believes a match
point that they both fight
each other. I know it would
be good for Great Britain,
PSL GP
the country’s hopes for fight against Pacquiao to give the Filipino between his ward and good for him and good for
a podium win alive by undefeated International boxing. I’ve never pushed WITH the 2015 Philippine
showcasing his skills at the boxing icon a chance to avenge his Boxing Federation champion him (Khan) to take the fight Superliga Grand Prix
puddle-laden track during stunning sixth-round knockout loss to the and pound-for-pound No. 10 because it’s obvious there drawing near, foreign
the finals. Kell Brook would be good for are some things going on reinforcements have started
Both Filipino and Mexican in 2012, it seems the Mexican is Great Britain. between them from long coming in trickles as
foreign spectators cheered not interested. “While Brook’s next before I came along.” competing teams start their
for the class underdog who assignment is an IBF world Hunter added: “There have early buildup for the opening
maneuvered his way up. “Yes, I believe they are to consider a return to the title defense against Diego been little bits and pieces that of this prestigious women’s
Now that the AMC interested in that fight, but ring this December, but the Chaves, Khan himself has I get like, ‘you disrespected volleyball tournament on
season has ended, Tayao I am no longer (interested) Mexican doesn’t want to confirmed preliminary talks me’ or ‘you’re not well known Oct. 10 at the Alonte Sports
Cabrera is currently and that’s a fact,” the face Pacquiao, often stating have taken place about a enough’ or who won the Arena in Binan, Laguna.
preparing to compete 42-year-old Marquez told that he wishes to savor his contest against Brook next sparring sessions when they Already in town are
in the Asian Karting Boxing Scene. spectacular KO win the year, with Wembley being were amateurs. It has all the Ariel Usher of Cignal, Liis
Open Championships at Fernando Beltran of rest of his life apparently cited as a potential venue. ingredients for a big fight. I’m Kullerkann and Christina
Thailand and Macau in Zanfer, who promotes scorning the offer of a big And his trainer, Virgil sure that if both continue to Alessi of Meralco, and Rupia
November and December Marquez, wants the four- purse to fight Manny. Hunter, believes such a fight that the fight’s going to Inck and Erica Adachi of
respectively. division world champion Meantime, while contest will be highly happen.” Petron, who powered the
Blaze Spikers to an eighth-
place finish in the AVC Asian
Furyk withdraws from Tour Women’s Club Volleyball
Championship recently in
ATLANTA—Former US Open champion Jim Phu Ly, Vietnam.
Furyk withdrew from the FedEx Cup playoff’s Tour A 6’1” stunner from
Championship on Tuesday because of a wrist injury that University of Portland,
Usher is tipped to become a
forced him out of the BMW Championship last week.
legitimate threat in the open
The 45-year-old American was diagnosed with a position as she teams up with
bone contusion last week in his left wrist. a fellow American in middle
He will continue rehabilitation in hopes of blocker Amanda Anderson
participating in the upcoming Presidents Cup. for the HD Spikers, who
Furyk pulled out of the BMW Championship after recruited veterans April Ross
playing six holes of the first round, the first time he Hingpit, Rizza Mandapat
has withdrawn from a tournament since 1995. and Michelle Laborte during
“While I am disappointed to miss this week’s event the off-season.
in Atlanta, I am now placing all my efforts on being Kullerkann and Alessi’s
healthy and ready to play in the Presidents Cup,” early arrival will also
Furyk said. be a major boost to the
“(Captain) Jay Haas will be made aware of my preparation of Meralco,
progress in the coming days as we see how the injury which will be handled by
Cantada Sports Center hosts spikefest. The indoor sand-court of the Cantada Sports responds to the treatment.” noted mentor Ramil de
Center In Taguig City was the venue of the now monthly PVF Beach Volleyball Invitational for Furyk, who won the 2003 US Open crown, was assured Jesus, together with Cha
men and women held last Saturday. The men’s event was won by Daniel Young and Jade Ba- of one of the top 30 spots in the Tour Championship Cruz and Paneng Mercado
caldo of Cebu, while the women’s category was topped by Judy Caballejo and Camille Abanto which begins on Thursday at the East Lake Golf Club. as well as Kim Fajardo, Mika
of the Philippine Air Force. The event was supported by sportsmen Lucio “Bong” Tan Jr., Atty. His playing partner Hideki Matsuyama will play as a Reyes and the entire core of
Gilberto M. Duavit, Atty. Reginaldo A. Oben, Gonzalo Puyat and Sons, Tanduay and Mapecon. single in the opening round. AFP De La Salle Lady Archers.
 T H U R S D AY : S E P T E M B E R 24 , 2 0 1 5

A14 SPORTS
sports@thestandard.com.ph

2 EAC players,
Altas’ Cabiltes
suspended
National U
will need
more than
skipper Jorelle
Singh’s defen-
sive effort to
stop Ateneo
By Peter Atencio and league’s
top hitter and
MVP Alyssa
THREE players, who were ejected during the University Valdez in
of Perpetual Help-Emilio Aguinaldo College game, were Game Two of
the Shakey’s
suspended for one game by the National Collegiate V-League
Athletic Association. Season 12
Collegiate
Conference
EAC’s Enjerico Games today (The Arena, San Juan) serve his one-game title series on
Diego and Raymund 10 a.m. • Lyceum vs EAC (jrs) ban when Perpetual Sunday.
Pascua and Perpetual 12 nn. • St. Benilde vs San Sebastian (jrs) Help faces off
2 p.m. • Lyceum vs EAC (srs)
Help’s Nick Cabiltes 4 p.m. • St. Benilde vs San Sebastian (srs) with Jose Rizal
were sanctioned for tomorrow.
for their unsportsmanlike acts in College of St. Benilde will go
their Tuesday game, won by the Altas, against San Sebastian at 4 p.m. in
89-59, in a second-round encounter another non-bearing contest.
in the 91st NCAA men’s basketball Meanwhile, the NCAA
tournament. Management Committee, chaired
Diego and Cabiltes engaged in a by Melchor Divina of Mapua has
pushing match, while Pascua was yet to act on the brawl involving the
seen in a fighting stance that led to same players outside the court.
Lady Eagles brace for NU fightback
their ejection with 1.28 minutes left Cabiltes, EAC player Sidney ATENEO vows to wrap it all up the continued ab- Game Saturday (Sept. 26) and presented by
in their duel. Onwuberre and Pascua were involved on Sunday but remains wary sence of head coach 12:45 p.m. – FEU vs UST PLDT Home Ultera.
This means Diego and Pascua in a scuffle that took place afterwards of a big National University Tai Bundit and the (V-League/for third) Valdez, however,
will not play when EAC clashes with at the parking lot, just when both comeback with ace guest player return of Manabat to Game Sunday (Sept. 27) braces for a strong
12:45 p.m. – Ateneo vs NU
Lyceum of the Philippines University teams were leaving the venue. Dindin Santiago-Manabat back the other side. (V-League/for crown) NU comeback with
in a non-bearing game at 2 p.m. today The brawl allegedly started when in the fold in Game Two of the “We had a good Manabat expected
Shakey’s V-League Season 12 preparation for this conference to provide the firepower and
at The Arena in San Juan City. Pascua sneaked behind Cabiltes and
Collegiate Conference Finals and we hope to continue to play poise lacking in Game One
Cabiltes, on the other hand, will struck him in the head. on Sunday at The Arena in San the way we did in Game One,” which Ateneo handily won, 25-
Juan City. said Valdez after leading the 19, 25-13, 25-23.
MVP Alyssa Valdez said they team in the opener with 20 hits, “Dindin will be a big factor
have prepared long and hard for including 15 attack points, on her in Game Two. Actually, NU is a
this campaign and expressed way to bagging the MVP trophy strong team without her and will
confidence of scoring a repeat in the mid-season conference of only get stronger with her back in
over the Lady Bulldogs despite the league sponsored by Shakey’s the fold,” said Valdez.

Patrimonio
sisters make
quarterfinals
THE powerhouse duo of Christine and Clarice
Patrimonio kept their impressive run yesterday
as they surged into the quarterfinals of the 34th
Philippine Columbian Association Open-Cebua-
na Lhuillier Wildcard Event at the PCA Open
clay courts in Paco, Manila.
Pulling away from her sister’s shadow, sev-
enth seed Christine came out with guns blazing
against Lenelyn Milo, 6-0, 6-1, while top seed
Clarice routed Crizabelle Paulino, 6-0, 6-2, in
the event supported by Cebuana Lhuillier, Puma,
Dunlop, The Philippine Star, Head, Babolat,
Compass/IMOSTI and Sarangani Rep. Manny
Pacquiao.
“Medyo sanay na rin ako sa court dahil nag-
training din kami dito bago mag-start ‘yung tour-
nament. Madulas lang ng kaunti dahil medyo
numipis ‘yung court. Pero manageable naman.
So far, maganda ang results ko,” said Christine,
a former Most Valuable Player in the University
Athletic Association of the Philippines.
Christine will duel second-seed Marinel Rudas
after shutting out Reisha Nillasca, 6-0, 6-0. Clarice
will also have her hands full as she squares off with
No. 8 Rafaella Villanueva, who beat Kryshana Hi-
tosis, 6-1, 6-2.
“She’s [Rudas] a tough opponent. Ilang beses na
rin kaming nagkaharap kaya laban lang. Focus lang
sa game,” said the 23-year-old Christine.
Also breezing into the quarterfinals were third
seed Edilyn Balanga, No. 4 Maia Balce, No. 5 Sjaira
Hope Rivera and No. 6 Hannah Espinosa in the
tournament supported by Whilpool/Fujidenzo,
Broadway Motor Sales Corp. Coca-Cola Femsa
Philippines, Tyrecorp Incorporated, Pearl Garden
Hotel, Metro Global Holdings Corporation, Avida,
PVL Restaurant, Mary Grace Foods, Inc., Seno
Hardware and Wire Rope Corporation.
 T H U R S D AY : S E P T E M B E R 24 , 2 0 1 5

SPORTS
sports@thestandard.com.ph
A15
La Salle,
National U Vintage Casas sizzles with a 66
shuttlers TRECE MARTIREZ, Cavite—Cassius Casas took the course soggy and the sur-
face unreceptive, forcing the
Bayron, Michael Bibat and Korean Park
Jun Hyeok.
stay clean advantage of benign condition, carding a bogey-free
six-under 66 to seize a one-stroke lead over Jhonnel
organizing Pilipinas Golf Tour-
naments, Inc. to apply winter
Jay Bayron, winner at ICTSI Sum-
mit Point last month, rallied with three
rules. birdies at the front to likewise churn out
DEFENDING champion Na-
tional University and De La
Ababa at the start of the season-ending ICTSI “The greens are soft. One has a bogey-less 69 for joint seventh with
Salle stayed unbeaten defeat- Tournament Players Golf Championship at the rain- to come up with accurate iron Korean Woo Seong Bin, who spiked his
shots to set up birdie chances opening round charge with three birdies
ing separate foes in the UAAP
Season 78 men’s badminton
softened Sherwood Hills Golf Club here yesterday. since the ball hardly rolls,” in the last five holes, also at the front.
action yesterday. said Casas, who banked on su-
The Bulldogs blanked Uni- Solid with his irons and steady and fourth at ICTSI Open at Wack perb iron game to set up birdie
versity of the Philippines,
5-0, while the Green Archers
downed Ateneo, 4-1, for their
with his putter, Casas gunned
down three birdies on each nine,
capped by stirring 35-feet birdie
Wack two weeks ago. He used his
putter just 25 times.
His 66, however, was short
chances inside six feet.
Ababa did expect to get into
the mix early with a confidence
LOTTO RESULTS
third straight victories at the Ri-
zal Memorial Badminton Hall.
putt on the par-3 No. 16, as the
veteran Davaoeño shotmaker took
of the 62 he made in winning
a tournament here more than
boosted by his runner-up finish
in last week’s Central Azucarera
6/55 00-00-00-00-00-00 P0 M+
University of Santo Tomas, charge in a crowded leaderboard 10 years ago but enough to put de Tarlac Open, also at Luisita.
meanwhile, defeated Far East-
ern University, 4-1, to move to
to set in motion his bid to save a him on top of the elite field in Like Casas, the former amateur 6/45 00-00-00-00-00-00 P0 M
winless season. this P3.5 million championship hotshot started at the back and hit
solo third with a 2-1 record.
Rookie Keeyan Gabuelo “My irons and putter comple-
mented well. I just hope to sustain
serving as the final leg of the
15-stage circuit sponsored by In-
three birdies against a bogey then
closed out his solid frontside stint
4 DIGITS 0-0-0-0
scored a 21-19, 21-19 first sin-
gles’ win over Wilson Lopez,
while Roslee Pedrosa waylaid
my form till the final round,” said
Casas, who won two tournaments
ternational Container Terminal
Services Inc.
with a 33 to card a 67.
Zanieboy Gialon missed join- 3 DIGITS 0-0-0
last year but could only place third Tuesday night’s ing Ababa at second with a late
Jon Masongsong, 21-9, 21-18,
in the second singles. at Luisita Championship last May downpour rendered bogey on No. 7, dropping to
joint third at 68 with Rufino
2 EZ2 0-0
In the first doubles, Peter
Magnaye and Alvin Morada
beat Vincent Manuel and Rob- Manila
erto Manuel, 21-15, 21-18. Standard
Republic of the Philippines
TODAY
Pedrosa and Paul Gonza- Department of Agriculture
les nipped Joaquin Beato and Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization
Carl Clemente in the first dou- Science City of Muñoz, Nueva Ecija, Philippines
bles, 21-19, 16-21, 21-19, before www.philmech.gov.ph
Magnaye completed NU’s first
shutout win of the season with
a 21-17, 21-15 decision of Miguel INVITATION TO BID
Leonardo in the third singles.
Supply, Delivery and Testing of Various Coffee Equipment
(PHilMech Goods 15-09-11)
Bucking EJ Boac’s loss in
the third singles, the Green 1. The Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization
Archers banked on Gerald (PHilMech) through its Regular Fund intends to apply the sum of PhP
5,021,600.00 being the Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) as indicated
Sibayan, Anton Cayanan herein to payments under the contract for the Supply, Delivery and Testing
and Kenneth Monterubio to of Various Coffee Equipment. Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be
emerged victorious. automatically rejected at Bid opening.
In the other tie, University 2. The Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization now
of the East entered the win col- invites Bids from eligible bidders for the following items:
umn by edging Adamson, 3-2. ITEMS ABC
The Red Warriors forced a Supply, Delivery and Testing of Various Coffee Equipment
four-way tie in fourth place 7 units Coffee Pulper (Rubber bib) 54,600.00
at 1-2 along with their vic- 94 units Coffee Pulper (steel bib) 2,350,000.00
tims, the Fighting Maroons 1 unit Rubber Huller for Coffee 120,000.00
and the Falcons. Cassius Casas chips onto the green on No. 1 9 units Steel Huller for Coffee 1,980,000.00
11 units Coffee Moisture Meter 517,000.00
Total 5,021,600.000

The world of bridge is in turmoil Delivery of the GOODS is required within Forty Five (45) calendar days from
receipt of the Notice to Proceed. Bidders should have completed within three
(3) years a contract similar to the project. The description of an eligible Bidder
IN THE World Championships. that the German team should with- is contained in the Bidding Documents.
SYLVIA LOPEZ
past last “The WBF intends to take any draw from the Bermuda Bowl.
ALEJANDRO two weeks, suitable action on the recent cases We also have voluntarily agreed 3. Bidding will be conducted through open competitive bidding procedures using
I had writ- following the rules established and never to play competitive bridge again non-discretionary pass/fail criteria as specified in the Implementing Rules and
ten about involving everybody concerned, together and also will take at least two Regulations Part A (IRR-A) of Republic Act 9184 (R.A. 9184), otherwise known
as the “Government Procurement Reform Act”.
the cheating report and the devel- primarily the accused players, those years off from playing bridge at all
opments in thge sport of bridge. making the accusations and compe- except perhaps socially. We hope that 4. Interested Bidders may obtain further information from the Philippine Center
The World Bridge Federation was tent witnesses. until such a time has elapsed, that we for Postharvest Development and Mechanization and inspect the Bidding
forced to make a statement “at this “It is the duty (not only the right) might be welcomed back into the com- Documents at the address given below from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm.
time the world of is in turmoil fol- of every player to report anything petitive bridge playing community.
5. A complete set of Bidding Documents may be acquired by interested Bidders
lowing accusations of cheating…” that contravenes the ethics of the “Alex Smirnov and Josef Piekarek, from the address below and upon payment of a nonrefundable fee for the
Statement from the World Bridge game that we all should respect. both member as a pair of the Ger- Bidding Documents, pursuant to the latest Guidelines issued by the GPPB,
Federation: “Zero tolerance is and has to be man open bridge team, confessed to- in the amount of PhP 5,000.00. The method of payment will be in cash. The
“The WBF is an International our target, but any accused person day unethical play. Anticipating fur- Bidding Documents shall be received personally by the prospective Bidder or
Sport Federation recognized by the has the right to fair trial and to a fair ther measures by EBL the German his authorized representative.
International Olympic Committee verdict. This is the indisputable prin- open team has decided to withdraw 6. The Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization
and as a result adopts, respects and ciple should govern our lives.” from the Bermuda Bowl in Chennai. will hold a Pre-Bid Conference open to all interested parties on October
applies the OIC Principles, Laws and A shocking development: Mona- “Now it is up to France to decide 2, 2015, 10:00am at Executive Lounge, PHilMech Main Office, CLSU
Rules. It is a Federation of National co withdrawn from 2015 Bermuda if they will go to India, which is not Compound Science City of Muñoz, Nueva Ecija.
Bridge Federations and not of in- Bowl. The statement of the Monaco likely on such a short time. Next
dividuals and has jurisdiction and Bridge Federation: in line is Norway, the country of 7. Bids and eligibility requirements must be delivered to the address below on or
before October 16, 2015. All Bids must be accompanied by a Bid security in
disciplinary power over individuals “Monaco has decided to with- whistleblower Broge Brogeland.” the form and amount stated in the Bid Data Sheet or an equivalent amount in a
only relating to matters occurring in draw from the Bermuda Bowl 2015 The German Federation Federation: freely convertible currency. Late Bids shall not be accepted.
events organized by itself and conse- in order to preserve the interest of “Late in the afternoon, the Ger-
quently under its jurisdiction. bridge and so that the event may be man Federation (DBV) has posted 8. Bid opening shall be on October 16, 2015, 10:00am at Executive Lounge,
“We fully understand that players played with the greatest serenity. the following statement: “As Josef PHilmech Main Office, CLSU Compound Science City of Muñoz, Nueva
Ecija. Bids will be opened in the presence of the Bidders’ representatives who
throughout the world are naturally very “We’ve informed WBF President Piekarek and Alexander Smirnov choose to attend at the address below.
concerned, which the WBF appreciates Gianarrigo Rona, EBL President have admitted to have committed
and acknowledges, but they must rec- Yves Aubry and the Danish Fed- some ethical violations, the German 9. The Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization
ognise that the rules and correct proce- eration (to which we wish the best Open Team will not compete in the reserves the right to accept or reject any Bid, to annul the bidding process,
dures must be respected and everybody results in Chennai) of our decision.” 2015 Bermuda Bowl.” and to reject all Bids at any time prior to contract award, without thereby
protected before launching any public Germany Withdrawns from 2015 incurring any liability to the affected Bidder or Bidders.
“On September 20, 2015 the EBL
accusations, without concern for its Bod- Bermuda Bowl. has posted the following statement.
ies. The NBOs and the Zonal Organisa- The statement on this withdrawal “In a further development, the Ger- PHILIPPINE CENTER FOR POSTHARVEST DEVELOPMENT AND MECHANIZATION
tions are the ones to take the initial action follows: man pair Piekarek-Smirnov has admit- (Formerly BUREAU OF POSTHARVEST RESEARCH AND EXTENSION)
in the facts involved are coming from “We are aware of the “whispers” ted unethical behavior in the past. This Main Office:CLSU Cmpd., Science City of Muñoz, Nueva Ecija
national or zonal events. and we are sorry to say there is some matter has been passed to the Discipli- Tel. No. (044) 4560287 / 4560213 FAX No. (044) 4560110
Liaison Office: 3F ATI Bldg., Elliptical Road, Diliman, Quezon City
“The WBF may however look truth to them. We regret in the past nary Committee for examination and Tel. No. 9274019 / 9274029 FAX No. 9268159
at any “dossier” and exercise its as a partnership we committed some assessment. The two players have been
right through the Credentials ethical violations. This morning we suspended with immediate effect.”
Committee to invite or not invite informed our Federation and our Comments to: sylvia.alejandro@ (SGD) RAUL R. PAZ
individuals to participate in the teammates and we have all agreed yahoo.com BAC Chairman
(TS-SEPT. 24 & 30, 2015)
A16
T H U R S D AY : S E P T E M B E R 24 , 2 0 1 5
RIERA U. MALL ARI
EDITOR

REUEL VIDAL
A S S I S TA N T E D I T O R

sports@thestandard.com.ph

SPORTS
Tamaraws
repulse
Warriors,
92 to 81
THE Far
E a s t e r n G a (MOAmes Saturday
Arena)
Un iversit y 2 p.m. UP vs NU
Ta m a r a w s 4 p.m. Ateneo vs UST
struggled for
three quarters before unleashing
their might in the final canto to
repulse the University of the East
Warriors, 92-81, yesterday at the
Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.
The Warriors’ prolific shooters
Edison Batiller and Chris Javier were
finally almost silenced in the final
period, allowing the Tamaraws to
post their fourth win in five games
in the 78th University Athletic As-
sociation of the Philippines men’s
basketball tournament.
Mark Belo sizzled with 12 of 24
points in the last period, leading a
12-4 run with two charities in the
last 9:36 of the fourth.
After that, Monbert Arong’s char-
ity, followed by Belo’s two triples and
putback in the final 4:55 had FEU
unleashing a huge 19-0 surge.
When it was finished, FEU was
ahead by 13, 88-75, off Mike Tolo-
mia’s split charity in the final 1:55.
“Every game, we expected our
opponents to come out strong.
‘Yun ang kinakapa namin, the
right mix of players. So, in the
fourth, we just stuck to our veter-
UE’s Christopher ans,” said FEU coach Nash Racela.
Javier (14) tries to Batiller led UE with 18 points.
defy the double-
But when Racela instructed vet-
team put up by
FEU’s Mark Belo
eran guard Francis Tamsi to keep
(12) and Raymar an eye on him in the final period,
Jose in a UAAP Batiller was held scoreless in the
game won by the final 10 minutes.
Tamaraws, 92-81. Javier came up with 13 points and
ROMAN PROSPERO was limited to two in the last quarter
asFEU forced UE to commit 14 of 21
turnovers in the second half.

Gilas PH suffers shock defeat

By Jeric Lopez In the dying seconds, Smart a 62-71 deficit into a 72-71 lead
Gilas had a chance to either tie or Game Today (Preliminary Round)
9:30 a.m. – Philippines vs. Hong Kong
with 1:34 remaining. That was
IT was one shocking start for Gilas Pilipinas. win it, but Blatche’s three-point Palestine’s first lead since the
attempt in the final second was opening frame.
Unable to hold its ground in the payoff period, Gilas swatted away, allowing Palestine tournament to rectify that Blatche led the Philippines with
Pilipinas, which led by 15 points in the first quarter, to escape with the upset win. mistake, fix it and get us back to his double-double of 21 points and
shockingly bowed down to unranked Palestine, 75-73, As a result, the Philippines (0-1) where we belong.’’ 12 rebounds while Shamala was
needs to win both of its remaining Today, Gilas needs to bounce the biggest torn on the Filipinos’
in its opening game in the 2015 FIBA Asia Champion- games in this preliminary round back when it plays Hong Kong cause as he spearheaded Palestine’s
ship at the Changsa Social Work College’s Gymnasium to ensure itself a ticket in the next at 9:30 a.m. as it shoots for its attack with his own impressive
phase. first victory in a must-win stat line of 26 points and 15
in Changsa, China yesterday. ‘’This tournament is far from situation. rebounds and Sakakini did the
Sani Sakakini converted on a That came after Gilas’ over. This is not a statement game Before Blatche’s putback, same, pouring in 22 points and 14
go-ahead three-point play with naturalized star Andray Blatche of who Gilas Pilipinas is. This which proved to be the Filipinos’ boards.
15 seconds remaining to give the scored on a put-back to give is a big mistake by our team, by last basket, the Palestinians At the end of one, Gilas Pilipinas
Palestinians what turned out to be Gilas the lead back, 73-72, after the coaching staff, by all of us,’’ orchestrated a 10-0 run that was already stretched its lead to 15
the final tally, which they held on surrendering it several seconds said National coach Tab Baldwin. powered by back-to-back triples points, 27-12, for a tighter grip of
to until the final horn. earlier. ‘’But we fortunately have a whole from Abu Shamala and turned the contest.

PH karter Casas
stamps sizzles
class in with
Malaysia a 66
TURN TO A15
TURN TO A13
 B1
THURSDAY: SEPTEMBER 24, 2015

RAY S. EÑANO
EDITOR
RODERICK T. DELA CRUZ
ASSISTANT EDITOR business@thestandardtoday.com.ph
extrastory2000@gmail.com

BUSINESS

Largest solar farm. The completed 45-megawatt San Carlos solar energy plant in San Carlos City, Negros Occidental is now the largest solar farm in the country. Composed of
approximately 175,000 panels, it provides electricity to over 100,000 homes and supplies daytime peak power to the Visayas grid. The Philippine Investment Alliance for Infrastructure
fund, managed by Macquarie Infrastructure and Real Assets, completed its acquisition of the majority stake of SaCaSol. The solar plant is one of several clean energy projects that
Bronzeoak Philippines is developing in the country.

Imports surge to record $6.5b

By Gabrielle H. Binaday strong imports growth, the Phil-
ippines registered a trade deficit
goods reached $1.4 billion in July,
up from $793.9 million a year ago,
PSe comPoSite index
Closing September 23, 2015
of $1.177 billion in July, up from on higher purchases of both durable
IMPORTS jumped 17 percent in July from a
8000
the $138.95-million deficit regis- goods (up 75.7 percent) and non-du- 7700
year ago to a record $6.5 billion, on the back of a tered in the same period last year. rable goods (up 69.5 percent). 7400
The trade deficit in the first seven Payments for raw materials and in-
71-percent increase in electronic components, months also doubled to $3 billion termediate goods, which accounted
7100

the Philippine Statistics Authority said

6800
from $1.5 billion a year earlier. for 43.8 percent of the country’s total 6500
Wednesday. Orders for consumer goods
jumped 72.8 percent in July;
merchandise imports, increased 41.1
percent in July to $2.9 billion from $2 6,926.91
124.32
Data from the PSA showed offset weak revenues from ex- raw materials and intermediate billion in July 2014.
merchandise imports increased
rom $5.6 billion in July 2014, fol-
ports, which remains affected by
dampened global demand,” said
goods, 41.1 percent; and capital
goods, 32.5 percent. Electronic
The value of imported capital
goods marked its sixth consecutive
PeSo-dollar rate
Closing SEPTEMBER 23, 2015
lowing the 22.6-percent rise in Economic Planning Secretary and products, accounting for 30.8 month of double-digit growth, ris- 43.50
June shipments to $5.9 billion, de- National Economic and Develop- percent of the total import billion, ing by 32.5 percent to $1.9 billion 44.60
spite the sharp drop in the value ment Authority director-general soared 71 percent to $2 billion. in July 2015 from $1.5 billion in the 45.40
of petroleum imports. Arsenio Balisacan. The strong growth of these im- same period last year. P46.830
46.20
This brought total imports in Neda said for the second con- port categories made up for the “The current trend in the import CLOSE
47.00
the first seven months to $32.2 secutive month, the Philippines 76.4-percent decline in import bills of capital goods, consumer goods
billion, up 0.1 percent from ranked first among monitored for mineral fuels and lubricants. and raw materials shows a robust HIGH P46.650 LOW P46.830 AVERAGE P46.738
$37.17 billion a year ago. economies in East and South- “Within the near term, imports domestic demand and a rebound in VOLUME 877.200M
“The steady growth in importa- east Asia in registering imports growth may likely continue as consumer sentiment towards the end
tion of key imported commodi-
ties is expected to further boost
the growth of investments and
growth in July 2015. Except for
Vietnam, most trade-oriented
economies in the region recorded
consumer confidence for the third
quarter slightly improved to -11.6
from an index of -16.2 during the
of the year. To further support this
growth, the government must quick-
ly catch up on the implementation of
P435.00-P640.00
LPG/11-kg tank
P36.00-P43.95
o
P
il
PriceS
household consumption in the a decline in imports in the period. second quarter,” said Balisacan. various pipeline public infrastructure
third quarter of 2015. This will Data showed that with the Spending for imported consumer projects,” said Balisacan.
Unleaded Gasoline

P25.05-P28.40
today
Diesel

Groupon to exit PH amid global restructuring P34.55-P39.15

Kerosene

P20.75-P21.75
ONLINE deals giant Groupon growth,” chief operating officer will be paid in cash, Groupon said capital fund Sequoia India agreed Auto LPG
said Tuesday it was cutting some Rich Williams said in a blog post. Tuesday. to invest in Groupon India.
1,100 jobs over the coming “Practically, this means we’re Though Groupon makes more The restructuring could mean Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas
months in another sign of cooling taking some broad restructuring than 35 percent of its sales outside the company was unable to sell Wednesday, September 23, 2015
in the once-hot sector. actions to better focus our of North America, the company some businesses in the countries F oreign e xchange r ate
Groupon also said it would resources and streamline our has struggled to compete with it’s leaving, said Arvind Bhatia, an Currency Unit US Dollar Peso
be ending operations in several international operations,” he said. local competitors in too many analyst at Sterne Agee & Leach Inc., United States
Japan
Dollar
Yen
1.000000
0.008325
46.5520
0.3875
markets around the world The company will eliminate countries, lacking necessary who recommends buying the stock. UK Pound 1.536900 71.5458

including Morocco, Panama, the some 1,100 positions, primarily in investment to drive growth and Groupon will have about 9,800
Hong Kong Dollar 0.129034 6.0068

Switzerland Franc 1.025746 47.7505

Philippines, Puerto Rico, Taiwan, international operations, mostly transform itself into a broader employees after the cuts, Bill Canada Dollar 0.753977 35.0991

Thailand and Uruguay, following in online deals and customer e-commerce site. Roberts, a spokesman for the Singapore
Australia
Dollar
Dollar
0.705916
0.707514
32.8618
32.9362
recent exits from Greece and service, Williams said. The company began exploring company, said in an e-mail. Bahrain Dinar 2.655690 123.6277

Turkey. The cuts, which represent about strategic options for some of Groupon went public in 2011 Saudi Arabia
Brunei
Rial
Dollar
0.266667
0.703433
12.4139
32.7462
The streamlining aims “to 10 percent of the workforce at its overseas properties a year amid enthusiasm over its model Indonesia Rupiah 0.000069 0.0032

realize the efficiencies we’ve Chicago-based Groupon, will ago. This April, Groupon sold a of offering deals on a variety of Thailand
UAE
Baht
Dirham
0.027785
0.272316
1.2934
12.6769
been working so hard to gain, result in pretax charges of as controlling stake in South Korean products and services. But its Euro Euro 1.112800 51.8031

to further improve the way we much as $35 million, including e-commerce site Ticket Monster stock price has slumped more Korea
China
Won
Yuan
0.000843
0.156838
0.0392
7.3011
operate around the world and about $22 million to $24 million to investment firm KKR & Co. than 75 percent from its offering India Rupee 0.015175 0.7064

-- most importantly -- continue in the third quarter. Most charges and Hong Kong-based Anchor price of $20, and has been Malaysia
New Zealand
Ringgit
Dollar
0.232883
0.628496
10.8412
29.2577
to channel more and more of will relate to employee severance Equity Partners, for $360 million. hovering around $4 in recent Taiwan Dollar 0.030375 1.4140

our resources toward long-term and compensation benefits and Though last month, venture weeks. With AFP, Bloomberg
Source: PDS Bridge
 THURSDAY: SEPTEMBER 24, 2015

B2 BUSINESSbusiness@thestandard.com.ph
extrastory2000@gmail.com

The STandard BuSineSS daily STockS review

Wednesday, september 23, 2015
52 Weeks Previous % Net Foreign 52 Weeks Previous % Net Foreign
High Low STOCKS Close High Low Close Change Volume Trade/Buying High Low STOCKS Close High Low Close Change Volume Trade/Buying
FINANCIAL 5.59 4.96 Cebu Holdings 4.9 4.91 4.77 4.91 0.20 4,000
7.88 2.5 AG Finance 2.6 2.75 2.6 2.6 0.00 20,000 1.44 0.79 Century Property 0.6 0.62 0.58 0.58 -3.33 5,076,000 -1,718,380.00
75.3 66 Asia United Bank 69.3 69.35 69 69 -0.43 14,090 470,225.00 0.201 0.083 Crown Equities Inc. 0.109 0.109 0.102 0.109 0.00 160,000
124.4 88.05 Banco de Oro Unibank Inc. 103.60 103.50 101.00 102.00 -1.54 4,488,350 223,779,295 0.69 0.415 Cyber Bay Corp. 0.460 0.455 0.455 0.455 -1.09 10,000
107 88.1 Bank of PI 83.45 83.50 82.85 83.00 -0.54 2,212,840 -43,896,136.00 10.96 2.4 Double Dragon 18.42 20.3 17.2 20.1 9.12 7,596,000 -1,793,388.00
56.5 45.45 China Bank 42.5 42.6 42 42.6 0.24 69,200 2,075,805.00 0.97 0.83 Empire East Land 0.800 0.810 0.810 0.810 1.25 11,000
4 8.7 Citystate Savings 10 10.1 10.1 10.1 1.00 100 0.305 0.188 Ever Gotesco 0.179 0.171 0.170 0.170 -5.03 730,000
17 12.02 COL Financial 15.5 15.92 15.3 15.7 1.29 71,700 -158,710.00 2.22 1.15 Global-Estate 1.03 1.04 1.02 1.02 -0.97 1,717,000 -59,650.00
30.45 19.6 Eastwest Bank 20 20.05 19.8 19.8 -1.00 47,900 -467,440.00 2.1 1.42 Filinvest Land,Inc. 1.77 1.79 1.74 1.77 0.00 8,847,000 8,264,880.00
2.6 1.02 I-Remit Inc. 1.60 1.78 1.49 1.70 6.25 24,000 1.8 1.27 Interport `A’ 1.36 1.38 1.35 1.35 -0.74 179,000
1.01 0.225 MEDCO Holdings 0.690 0.750 0.640 0.680 -1.45 27,229,000 978,130.00 8.4 3.1 Keppel Properties 4.80 4.80 4.80 4.80 0.00 3,000
100 78 Metrobank 83.6 83.6 80.05 80.05 -4.25 2,546,470 -168,721,191.00 5.94 4.13 Megaworld 4.25 4.32 4.23 4.25 0.00 17,759,000 -20,890,200.00
1.46 0.9 Natl. Reinsurance Corp. 0.96 0.96 0.93 0.96 0.00 6,500,000 0.180 0.090 MRC Allied Ind. 0.098 0.100 0.092 0.092 -6.12 1,070,000 -47,000.00
30.5 17.8 PB Bank 16.70 17.10 16.60 16.66 -0.24 125,900 -8,550.00 0.470 0.290 Phil. Estates Corp. 0.3100 0.3100 0.2800 0.2850 -8.06 200,000
75 58 Phil Bank of Comm 24.00 24.05 24.00 24.00 0.00 10,400 240,250.00 8.54 2.69 Primex Corp. 7.98 8.5 8.02 8.5 6.52 1,059,700 1,133,140.00
91.5 62 Phil. National Bank 52.50 53.00 52.45 52.50 0.00 128,390 -2,955,942.00 31.8 22.15 Robinson’s Land `B’ 28.50 28.00 28.10 28.50 0.00 3,143,100 -11,753,465.00
137 88.35 Phil. Savings Bank 98 102 95.5 100 2.04 4,950 2.29 1.6 Rockwell 1.55 1.55 1.52 1.55 0.00 39,000
80 52 Philippine trust Co. 100 150 150 150 50.00 100 4.9 3.1 Shang Properties Inc. 3.15 3.15 3.14 3.14 -0.32 37,000 -91,350.00
361.2 276 PSE Inc. 295.6 298 298 298 0.81 130 21.35 15.08 SM Prime Holdings 20.90 20.50 19.88 19.90 -4.78 20,501,500 -243,976,920.00
57 41 RCBC `A’ 31.5 31.5 31 31.1 -1.27 264,300 -2,113,940 1.06 0.69 Sta. Lucia Land Inc. 0.72 0.72 0.71 0.72 0.00 548,000
180 118.2 Security Bank 141 143 138 139 -1.42 60,320 -4,965,159.00 1.62 0.83 Suntrust Home Dev. Inc. 0.710 0.720 0.690 0.720 1.41 63,000 -580.00
1700 1200 Sun Life Financial 1450.001440.00 1435.00 1435.00 -1.03 100 -143,750.00 8.59 5.73 Vista Land & Lifescapes 5.380 5.360 5.110 5.120 -4.83 12,055,400 -22,770,069.00
124 59 Union Bank 51.20 54.00 51.20 52.20 1.95 10,730 -259,938.00 SERVICES
INDUSTRIAL 10.5 1.97 2GO Group’ 7.9 8 7.8 7.9 0.00 50,800
47 35.9 Aboitiz Power Corp. 43.05 43.45 42.65 42.95 -0.23 961,600 -12,529,585.00 66 35.2 ABS-CBN 59.95 60.5 59.45 59.45 -0.83 58,000
2.36 1.86 Alsons Cons. 1.64 1.64 1.6 1.64 0.00 219,000 -48,900.00 1.09 0.63 APC Group, Inc. 0.520 0.600 0.510 0.580 11.54 1,336,000
15.3 7.92 Asiabest Group 10.82 11 10.76 10.76 -0.55 2,700 15.82 8.6 Bloomberry 6.27 6.24 5.90 6.00 -4.31 11,079,700 -5,194,285.00
20.6 15.32 Century Food 16.86 16.96 16.76 16.76 -0.59 41,600 -6,718.00 0.1430 0.0770Boulevard Holdings 0.0590 0.0600 0.0580 0.0600 1.69 7,510,000
36 10.08 Cirtek Holdings (Chips) 26 26.45 25.1 25.75 -0.96 102,100 5.06 2.95 Calata Corp. 3.7 3.75 3.64 3.75 1.35 10,000
65.8 29.15 Concepcion 43.5 43.5 41.6 41.6 -4.37 194,400 -2,810,650 99.1 56.1 Cebu Air Inc. (5J) 88.9 89.1 87.5 88.3 -0.67 335,390 -926,014.00
2.97 1.5 Crown Asia 2.82 2.85 2.7 2.78 -1.42 1,538,000 -72,280.00 12.3 10.14 Centro Esc. Univ. 10 10 9.57 10 0.00 1,100
4.14 1.5 Da Vinci Capital 2.34 2.35 1.8 1.83 -21.79 13,946,000 168,790.00 7.67 4.8 DFNN Inc. 5.15 5.05 4.00 4.98 -3.30 59,600 -48,500.00
21.5 10.72 Del Monte 10.7 10 9.99 10 -6.54 191,100 -1,783,000.00 2720 1600 Globe Telecom 2524 2504 2432 2454 -2.77 227,855 -255,588,760.00
21.6 9.55 DNL Industries Inc. 10.700 10.640 10.38 10.440 -2.43 4,795,800 1,123,992.00 8.41 5.95 GMA Network Inc. 6.29 6.39 6.22 6.28 -0.16 622,300
11.96 9.04 Emperador 7.94 7.90 7.75 7.90 -0.50 746,200 -2,782,743.00 1.97 1.23 Harbor Star 1.23 1.25 1.23 1.25 1.63 23,000
9.13 6.02 Energy Devt. Corp. (EDC) 6.13 6.12 5.98 6.00 -2.12 23,625,300 -23,156,134.00 119.5 102.6 I.C.T.S.I. 85 84.95 78.05 79 -7.06 2,951,840 -150,786,181.00
11.8 8.86 EEI 7.88 8.07 7.88 7.88 0.00 252,700 -295,660.00 0.8200 0.041 Island Info 0.198 0.214 0.191 0.191 -3.54 22,080,000 -39,150.00
2.89 1.06 Euro-Med Lab 1.84 1.82 1.82 1.82 -1.09 3,000 2.2800 1.200 ISM Communications 1.4500 1.4600 1.3800 1.4000 -3.45 3,329,000 -153,690.00
17 8.61 Federal Res. Inv. Group 13.88 13.88 13.04 13.06 -5.91 7,400 5.93 2.34 Jackstones 2.18 2.19 2.15 2.15 -1.38 4,000
31.8 20.2 First Gen Corp. 22.95 23 22.6 22.6 -1.53 1,374,600 -28,464,860.00 12.28 6.5 Leisure & Resorts 8.65 8.64 8.48 8.60 -0.58 156,700 952,390.00
109 71.5 First Holdings ‘A’ 65.95 65.95 65.55 65.55 -0.61 200,130 -7,262,333.00 3.32 1.91 Liberty Telecom 2.80 3.04 2.71 2.87 2.50 2,733,000 63,730.00
15.3 13.24 Holcim Philippines Inc. 13.00 13.02 13.00 13.00 0.00 36,400 -473,784.00 1 0.650 Manila Bulletin 0.610 0.610 0.610 0.610 0.00 11,000
9.4 5.34 Integ. Micro-Electronics 5.72 5.85 5.7 5.72 0.00 125,700 -160.00 15.2 6 Melco Crown 5.13 5.13 4.73 4.75 -7.41 7,187,000 7,519,620.00
0.98 0.395 Ionics Inc 2.810 3.200 2.650 2.990 6.41 60,266,000 -2,618,470.00 0.62 0.335 MG Holdings 0.315 0.320 0.320 0.320 1.59 30,000
241 173 Jollibee Foods Corp. 190.90 190.00 185.50 189.00 -1.00 234,880 -15,276,103.00 1.040 0.37 NOW Corp. 0.530 0.530 0.485 0.495 -6.60 2,077,000 448,950.00
3.95 2.3 LMG Chemicals 1.86 2.6 1.95 2.28 22.58 516,000 -43,200.00 22.8 14.54 Pacific Online Sys. Corp. 19 19.1 18.6 19 0.00 1,600
4 1.63 Mabuhay Vinyl 5.05 5.2 4.03 4.39 -13.07 286,000 6.41 3 PAL Holdings Inc. 4.50 4.76 4.50 4.72 4.89 5,000
74 33 Macay Holdings 46.95 46.95 46.90 46.90 -0.11 1,800 4 2.28 Paxys Inc. 2.53 2.53 2.53 2.53 0.00 5,000
33.9 23.35 Manila Water Co. Inc. 23 23.25 22.6 23 0.00 957,400 4,396,435.00 185 79 Phil. Seven Corp. 105.00 105.00 100.00 100.00 -4.76 2,220 -32,940.00
90 17.3 Maxs Group 21.9 21 21 21.85 -0.23 89,400 -42,910.00 22.9 4.39 Philweb.Com Inc. 18.84 18.82 17.90 18.48 -1.91 103,500 -491,388.00
13.26 5.88 Megawide 5.55 5.6 5.5 5.56 0.18 72,300 -15,410.00 3486 2748 PLDT Common 2304.00 2290.00 2240.00 2264.00 -1.74 285,580 -304,865,130.00
293 250.2 Mla. Elect. Co `A’ 295.00 294.00 288.00 293.00 -0.68 397,310 50,373,636.00 0.760 0.435 PremiereHorizon 0.580 0.580 0.580 0.580 0.00 952,000
5 3.37 Panasonic Mfg Phil. Corp. 3.70 3.94 3.80 3.91 5.68 21,000 2.28 1.2 Premium Leisure 1.100 1.100 1.070 1.070 -2.73 2,392,000 -391,440.00
5.25 3.87 Pepsi-Cola Products Phil. 4.1 4.13 4.06 4.1 0.00 322,000 853,070.00 46.05 31.45 Puregold 31.30 31.65 30.50 30.80 -1.60 1,830,900 -765,370.00
12.98 8.45 Petron Corporation 6.92 6.95 6.87 6.88 -0.58 2,649,700 1,346,357.00 90.1 60.55 Robinsons RTL 73.00 73.00 72.00 72.00 -1.37 301,750 1,579,680.00
15 10.04 Phinma Corporation 11.38 11.34 10.82 11.34 -0.35 700 SBS Phil. Corp. 6.75 6.90 6.37 6.62 -1.93 19,727,600 69,547.00
7.03 3.03 Phoenix Petroleum Phils. 3.35 3.33 3.21 3.33 -0.60 55,000 -49,950.00 11.6 7.59 SSI Group 6.60 6.61 6.50 6.52 -1.21 1,147,100 -2,891,705.00
3.4 1.95 Phoenix Semiconductor 1.99 2.01 1.95 1.95 -2.01 642,000 -466,490.00 0.85 0.63 STI Holdings 0.51 0.52 0.50 0.50 -1.96 2,078,000 -666,310.00
4.5 1 Pryce Corp. `A’ 2.1 2.15 1.98 2.1 0.00 228,000 2.95 1.71 Transpacific Broadcast 1.67 1.72 1.67 1.72 2.99 31,000
6.3 4.02 RFM Corporation 4.02 4.04 4.01 4.04 0.50 5,015,000 1,112,610.00 10 5 Travellers 3.38 3.4 3.36 3.39 0.30 2,700,000 -4,942,790.00
7.86 1.65 Roxas and Co. 2.8 2.8 2.7 2.7 -3.57 58,000 0.490 0.315 Waterfront Phils. 0.385 0.385 0.345 0.360 -6.49 1,260,000
7.34 5.9 Roxas Holdings 5.2 5.48 4.64 5.48 5.38 20,000 1.9 1.14 Yehey 2.510 2.670 2.480 2.670 6.37 336,000
238 161 San Miguel’Pure Foods `B’ 135 135 133.5 134.9 -0.07 55,680 2,602,744.00 MINING & OIL
3.28 1.55 Splash Corporation 2.33 2.4 2.21 2.24 -3.86 2,952,000 -55,200.00 0.0098 0.0043 Abra Mining 0.0059 0.0058 0.0055 0.0055 -6.78 147,000,000
0.315 0.138 Swift Foods, Inc. 0.149 0.153 0.145 0.146 -2.01 3,640,000 -185,060.00 5.45 1.72 Apex `A’ 2.31 2.30 2.30 2.30 -0.43 20,000
2.18 1.02 TKC Steel Corp. 0.93 1.12 0.86 0.94 1.08 820,000 -42,050.00 17.24 6.47 Atlas Cons. `A’ 4.90 4.70 4.65 4.70 -4.08 77,000 -192,700.00
2.65 2.09 Trans-Asia Oil 1.80 1.93 1.78 1.92 6.67 15,098,000 16,882,550.00 25 9.43 Atok-Big Wedge `A’ 11.86 11.00 10.30 10.30 -13.15 17,000
234 152 Universal Robina 187.9 186.5 184.4 185.9 -1.06 2,020,130 -72,488,325.00 0.330 0.236 Basic Energy Corp. 0.205 0.205 0.190 0.190 -7.32 390,000 19,200.00
5.28 4.28 Victorias Milling 4.73 4.73 4.65 4.65 -1.69 18,000 12.7 6.5 Benguet Corp `A’ 6.9500 6.9500 6.8000 6.9500 0.00 5,300
1.3 0.640 Vitarich Corp. 0.74 0.75 0.72 0.73 -1.35 2,946,000 74,000.00 1.19 0.85 Century Peak Metals Hldgs 0.75 0.75 0.71 0.75 0.00 355,000 -63,900.00
2.17 1.2 Vulcan Ind’l. 1.01 1.02 1.01 1.01 0.00 95,000 51,000.00 1.62 0.77 Coal Asia 0.64 0.65 0.65 0.65 1.56 1,000
HOLDING FIRMS 9.5 5.99 Dizon 7.10 7.50 6.85 7.00 -1.41 35,400
0.59 0.44 Abacus Cons. `A’ 0.430 0.430 0.430 0.430 0.00 30,000 4.2 1.17 Ferronickel 1.02 1.01 0.99 1 -1.96 5,518,000 -1,432,390.00
59.2 48.1 Aboitiz Equity 58.0000 58.4500 56.5000 58.2000 0.34 2,412,530 14,861,875.50 0.48 0.305 Geograce Res. Phil. Inc. 0.305 0.305 0.295 0.295 -3.28 170,000
30.05 20.85 Alliance Global Inc. 19.60 19.60 18.88 19.00 -3.06 6,544,800 -69,296,712.00 0.420 0.2130 Lepanto `A’ 0.180 0.181 0.179 0.180 0.00 10,210,000
7.39 6.62 Anscor `A’ 6.61 6.60 6.58 6.60 -0.15 14,000 -40,920.00 0.440 0.2160 Lepanto `B’ 0.190 0.194 0.190 0.190 0.00 3,810,000
3.4 0.23 ATN Holdings A 0.240 0.235 0.233 0.233 -2.92 260,000 0.022 0.013 Manila Mining `A’ 0.010 0.010 0.010 0.010 -1.01 41,000,000
823.5 634.5 Ayala Corp `A’ 777 777 750 759.5 -2.25 283,700 -34,008,775.00 8.2 3.240 Marcventures Hldgs., Inc. 2.05 2.06 2 2.03 -0.98 252,000 -18,490.00
10.2 7.390 Cosco Capital 6.97 6.97 6.93 6.94 -0.43 693,600 3,150,164.00 49.2 18.96 Nickelasia 6.97 6.97 6.76 6.83 -2.01 2,724,600 -66,911.00
84 12.8 DMCI Holdings 13.00 13.00 12.56 12.60 -3.08 4,844,700 -4,855,964.00 4.27 2.11 Nihao Mineral Resources 2.93 2.95 2.86 2.9 -1.02 261,000 -57,600.00
4.92 2.26 Filinvest Dev. Corp. 4.06 4.06 4.06 4.06 0.00 16,000 4,060.00 1.030 0.365 Omico 0.6200 0.6200 0.6000 0.6200 0.00 232,000
0.66 0.152 Forum Pacific 0.240 0.260 0.261 0.228 -5.00 1,790,000 3.06 1.54 Oriental Peninsula Res. 1.3400 1.3400 1.3200 1.3400 0.00 297,000 -2,520.00
1455 837 GT Capital 1256 1255 1225 1225 -2.47 313,180 -228,563,215.00 0.021 0.013 Oriental Pet. `B’ 0.0100 0.0100 0.0091 0.0099 -1.00 3,100,000
7.5 5.3 House of Inv. 5.97 5.97 5.97 5.97 0.00 260,000 1,062,660.00 12.88 7.26 Philex `A’ 4.97 5.020 4.870 5.00 0.60 313,000 35,620.00
76 49.55 JG Summit Holdings 69.95 69.70 68.60 68.95 -1.43 1,833,190 -41,298,596.50 10.42 2.27 PhilexPetroleum 1.33 1.460 1.320 1.39 4.51 639,000 5,200.00
5.29 3 Keppel Holdings `A’ 6.78 6.7 6.7 6.7 -1.18 1,000 0.040 0.015 Philodrill Corp. `A’ 0.0110 0.0110 0.0110 0.0110 0.00 44,500,000
9.25 4.84 Lopez Holdings Corp. 6.1 6.09 6.05 6.05 -0.82 581,100 -1,201,239.00 420 115.9 Semirara Corp. 139.40 139.60 136.00 136.40 -2.15 383,150 -13,148,707.00
0.85 0.59 Lodestar Invt. Holdg.Corp. 0.74 0.77 0.7 0.72 -2.70 769,000 9 3.67 TA Petroleum 2.14 2.6 2.1 2.47 15.42 2,845,000 -621,520.00
17.3 12 LT Group 11.86 12.04 11.58 11.7 -1.35 5,968,500 -19,375,952.00 0.016 0.0100 United Paragon 0.0072 0.0079 0.0072 0.0079 9.72 2,000,000
0.71 0.580 Mabuhay Holdings `A’ 0.54 0.56 0.52 0.56 3.70 2,016,000 PREFERRED
5.53 4.2 Metro Pacific Inv. Corp. 5 5.01 4.93 5 0.00 33,411,500 -39,476,345.00 70 33 ABS-CBN Holdings Corp. 60 60.35 59.9 59.9 -0.17 212,980 -1,107,179.50
6.55 4.5 Minerales Industrias Corp. 8.35 8.37 8.29 8.29 -0.72 1,356,200 -16,580.00 553 490 Ayala Corp. Pref `B1’ 530.5 528 528 528 -0.47 4,060
0.0670 0.030 Pacifica `A’ 0.0340 0.0360 0.0340 0.0350 2.94 81,300,000 525 500 Ayala Corp. Pref ‘B2’ 537 526.5 526 526 -2.05 400 -210,525
1.61 0.550 Prime Orion 1.710 1.750 1.700 1.720 0.58 560,000 120 101.5 First Gen G 118.1 118.1 118.1 118.1 0.00 39,820
2.99 2.26 Republic Glass ‘A’ 2.78 2.8 2.8 2.8 0.72 143,000 8.21 5.88 GMA Holdings Inc. 6.49 6.48 6.48 6.48 -0.15 600
84.9 59.3 San Miguel Corp `A’ 44.00 44.70 43.50 44.40 0.91 3,449,200 -11,682,140.00 12.28 6.5 Leisure and Resort 1.07 1.11 1.11 1.11 3.74 37,000
3.5 1.5 Seafront `A’ 3.18 3.02 2.90 3.02 -5.03 56,000 1060 997 PCOR-Preferred A 1050 1056 1056 1056 0.57 20,000
974 751 SM Investments Inc. 890.00 888.50 860.00 878.50 -1.29 289,700 -13,276,605.00 1047 1011 PF Pref 2 1022 1025 1023 1025 0.29 660
1.66 1.13 Solid Group Inc. 1.21 1.21 1.18 1.18 -2.48 789,000 84.8 75 SMC Preferred C 81 81.5 81.1 81.1 0.12 104,470 -415,650.00
390 170 Transgrid 170.00 210.00 185.00 210.00 23.53 430 SMC Preferred D 78 78.5 78 78.5 0.64 252,820 -4,288,150.00
156 80 Top Frontier 63.800 65.000 63.000 63.000 -1.25 957,020 -153,774.50 SMC Preferred E 78 78.5 77 77 -1.28 879,090 5,518,600.00
0.710 0.211 Unioil Res. & Hldgs 0.3700 0.4100 0.3500 0.3600 -2.70 63,350,000 -28,550.00 SMC Preferred F 78.4 78.5 78 78.45 0.06 1,422,090
0.435 0.179 Wellex Industries 0.2100 0.2350 0.2150 0.2290 9.05 2,820,000 WARRANTS & BONDS
0.510 0.310 Zeus Holdings 0.241 0.249 0.241 0.249 3.32 560,000 6.98 0.8900 LR Warrant 3.200 3.130 3.000 3.050 -4.69 173,000
PROPERTY SME
10.5 6.74 8990 HLDG 6.900 7.000 6.670 6.800 -1.45 64,700 -6,062.00 15 3.5 Makati Fin. Corp. 3.28 3.59 3.55 3.58 9.15 7,000 3,550.00
1.99 0.65 A. Brown Co., Inc. 0.63 0.63 0.61 0.62 -1.59 602,000 3,350.00 88 13.5 IRipple E-Business Intl 74.9 82.6 75.1 80 6.81 7,850
0.375 0.192 Arthaland Corp. 0.221 0.250 0.220 0.250 13.12 290,000 12.88 5.95 Xurpas 12.88 13.2 12.5 12.6 -2.17 4,156,000 -1,704,820.00
41.4 30.05 Ayala Land `B’ 34.15 34.15 33.80 34.00 -0.44 15,422,800 -4,073,305.00 EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS
5.6 3.36 Belle Corp. `A’ 3.02 3.04 3.01 3.01 -0.33 687,000 -1,246,140.00 130.7 105.6 First Metro ETF 115.4 115.1 113.6 113.6 -1.56 10,020 34,140.00

Trading Summary T op g ainerS

STOCKS Close Change
T op L oSerS
STOCKS Close Change
SHARES VALUE (P) (%) (P) (%)

FINANCIAL 44,029,907 928,069,829.089 FINANCIAL 1,541.96 (down) 24.48 Philippine trust Co. 150 50.00 Da Vinci Capital 1.83 -21.79

INDUSTRIAL 149,393,829 1,251,674,644.55 INDUSTRIAL 10,693.74 (down) 99.21 Transgrid 210.00 23.53 Atok-Big Wedge `A' 10.30 -13.15

HOLDING FIRMS 6,488.17 (down) 94.78 LMG Chemicals 2.28 22.58 Mabuhay Vinyl 4.39 -13.07

HOLDING FIRMS 220,362,963 2,025,805,346.10 PROPERTY 2,828.50 (down) 53.87 TA Petroleum 2.47 15.42 Phil. Estates Corp. 0.2850 -8.06
Arthaland Corp. 0.250 13.12 Melco Crown 4.75 -7.41
PROPERTY 97,881,316 1,341,025,633.95 SERVICES 1,718.42 (down) 46.75 APC Group, Inc. 0.580 11.54 Basic Energy Corp. 0.190 -7.32
SERVICES 95,462,057 1,854,447,380.38 MINING & OIL 10,966.95 (down) 172.07 United Paragon 0.0079 9.72 I.C.T.S.I. 79 -7.06
PSEI 6,926.91 (down) 124.32 Makati Fin. Corp. 3.58 9.15 Abra Mining 0.0055 -6.78
MINING & OIL 266,796,277 93,141,031.7673 All Shares Index 3,995.09 (down) 38.47 Double Dragon 20.1 9.12 NOW Corp. 0.495 -6.60
GRAND TOTAL 879,664,248 7,617,505,479.719 Gainers: 54 Losers: 119; Unchanged: 37; Total: 210 Wellex Industries 0.2290 9.05 Del Monte 10 -6.54
 THURSDAY: SEPTEMBER 24, 2015

BUSINESS
business@thestandard.com.ph
B3
extrastory2000@gmail.com

Aboitiz Power gets P10-b loan

By Alena Mae S. Flores tween now and 2019, 2020, there growing our renewable energy “The company looks forward
maybe 200 MW [of power capac- portfolio,” he said. to the continued drop in the
ity]. I think we can hit about 200 The company recently started threshold for contestable cus-
HEDCOR Bukidnon Inc., a wholly-owned MW of run-of-river [hyrdo] scat- commercial operations of the first tomers from the current 1 MW
unit of Aboitiz Renewables Inc. of Aboitiz tered around Northern Luzon, 150-MW unit of the 300 MW and above to 750 kilowatts, and
Power Corp., obtained loans and credit ac- Mindanao and we’re even look-
ing at the Visayas,” Aboitiz Power
coal-fired power plant in Davao
City.
eventually to 500 kW, in order to
encourage more investors and as-
commodations amounting to P10 billion to fi- president and chief operating of- Aboitiz Power’s new projects sure the viability of the Philippine
nance the construction of the 68.8-megawatt ficer Antonio Moraza said. include a partnership with Sun power industry,” he said.
Aboitiz Power chief executive Edison Inc. of the US on solar, Moraza said the company
Manolo Fortich hydro power plant in Bukid- Erramon Aboitiz earlier said the several run-of-river hydro sta- planned to maximize the benefits
non province. company had budgeted P52 bil- tions, a potential pump storage of open access through a balanced
lion for the company’s capital for SN Aboitiz Power and sev- portfolio of contracted and spot ca-
Aboitiz Power said in a disclo- Philippine Islands-Asset Manage- expenditure budget this year to eral geothermal fields around the pacity, and contract majority of its
sure to the Philippine Stock Ex- ment and Trust Group served as boost generation capacity to 4,000 country. baseload and diesel capacity under
change it raised the loan from a trustee and facility Agent. MW by 2019 from around 2,400 Aboitiz Power president and price-stable bilateral contracts.
consortium of lender-banks. Hedcor plans to complete the MW today. chief operating officer Antonio He said Aboitiz Power would
BPI Capital Corp. acted as lead hydro power plant by the end of 2017. “Along with the increase in Moraza, earlier said open access offer most of its hydro power ca-
arranger and book runner of the “We actually have a very solid non-renewable capacity, we are was the best way to support the pacity for peaking and ancillary
syndicated loan, while Bank of the pipeline of hydro projects be- also vigorously pursuing and company’s expansion. or reserves services.

Stocks sink; PLDT,

Metrobank decline
STOCKS tumbled Wednesday, taking its cue from the rest of the Asian
markets after a heavy sell-off in New York and Europe.
A plunge in a gauge of Chinese factory activity fueled fresh fears about
the world’s number two economy and the global outlook Wednesday,
sending Asian stocks falling.
The Philippine Stock Exchange Index sank 124.32 points, or 1.8
percent, to 6,926.91 on a value turnover of P7.6 billion. Losers over-
whelmed gainers, 119 to 54, with 37 issues unchanged.
Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co., the biggest telecommuni-
cations firm, lost 1.7 percent to P2,264, while rival Globe Telecom Inc.
dropped 2.8 percent to P2,454.
Metropolitan Bank & Trust Co., the largest lender in terms of assets,
declined 4.2 percent to P80.05, while SM Prime Holdings Inc. of retail
tycoon Henry Sy tumbled 4.8 percent to P19.90.
International Container Terminal Services Inc., the biggest port op-
erator, sank 7.1 percent to P79.
Meanwhile, emerging market currencies—already under pressure
from an expected US interest rate rise and weak growth—also took a
battering as investors rushed into lower-yielding, or safer, assets such as
the yen. Oil prices eased.
The losses extended a downward spiral across the world as dealers
fret over the state of the global economy, with a US recovery offset by
China’s weakness, while Japan and the eurozone also struggle.
Traders are also watching Chinese President Xi Jinping’s state visit to
the United States, where he pledged not to push down the value of the
yuan to boost exports. Ateneo awardees. The Ateneo de Manila University awards four outstanding individuals who
On Wednesday Hong Kong and Shanghai lost more than two percent exemplified the values of the university at the 2015 Traditional University Awards. Shown receiving the
after China’s Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) of manufacturing ac- awards from Ateneo de Manila University president Fr. Jose Ramon Villarin SJ (right) are (from left) Rodolfo
Vera, Gawad Tanglaw ng Lahi; Marissa Singson Mabasa who represented Gabriel Singson, Doctor of Public
tivity for September came in at a six-and-a-half-year low and showed Administration, honoris causa; Dr. Maria Lourdes Carandang, Doctor of Science, honoris causa; and Edmundo
the sector contracted further. With AFP Garcia, Parangal Lingkod Sambayanan.

The man who successfully

argued PIATCO’s ICC case
GOD works in mysterious ways. Sometimes the mysteri- of the International Chamber of Commerce, which hand, he took away the lawyer who so eloquently argued
ous ways are full of happiness, and sometimes they are is based in Singapore. PIATCO’s case before the ICC arbitration panel.
tinged with sadness. And at other times, they are a mix- PIATCO won the case, with ICC ruling that NAIA Ter- That lawyer was Eduardo de los Angeles. Dindo, as he
ture of sadness and happiness. minal 3, was not the property of the government and that was known to his colleagues and friends, passed away two
God worked mysteriously several weeks ago when the therefore PIATCO was entitled to ‘just compensation’ for weeks ago. Dindo de los Angeles left us in the same way
Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision, voted in favor the terminal’s expropriation. The ICC panel must have he lived and toiled among us – quietly, without fuss and
of the airport terminal services company PIATCO (Phil- been impressed by the brief prepared by PIATCO’s lead with abiding concern for who and what he would be leav-
ippine International Air Terminals Co. Inc.), putting a counsel, the firm Romulo Mabanta Buenaventura Sayoc ing behind.
definitive end to litigation that began in 2004 with PI- and De los Angeles, and by the manner in which PIAT- I think that the name of Dindo de los Angeles was once
ATCO’s filing of a suit against the Philippine government. CO’s arguments were presented to the panel. A Filipino or twice submitted to the Judicial and Bar Council for the
The suit was triggered by the government’s expropriation friend of mine who attended the Singapore proceedings position of Associate Justice of the Supreme Court. Just
of NAIA (Ninoy Aquino International Airport) Terminal told me that, listening to the way that PIATCO’s lawyer as he was a first-rate legal practitioner, so he would have
3, after making an initial downpayment ordered by the argued the air terminals’ company’s case, he was proud been a first-rate member of the High Court.
Pasay City Commercial Court. to be a Filipino. The lawyer’s performance was, he said, Attorney Eduardo de los Angeles, an honorable mem-
Expectedly, PIATCO, which had as a strategic masterful. ber of the Philippine Bar, knew about the decision in the
partner the German firm Fraport, took the govern- I spoke earlier of God’s mysterious ways being at times ICC case. I don’t know if he was still well enough to learn
ment to court. The case seemed to be interminable, a mixture of joy and sadness. On the one hand, the Su- about the Supreme Court ruling. Well enough or not,
bedeviled martly by the charge filed by the govern- preme Court voted to award to PIATCO, as ‘just com- he undoubtedly scored a double homerun for his client.
ment against Fraport for violation of the 60-40 for- pensation’, $510 million (almost P24 billion) plus annual Bravo, Dindo.
eign equity rule of the Constitution. An exasperated interest of $16 million (P753 million) until full payment
PIATCO decided to resort to the arbitration facility of NAIA Terminal 3’s construction cost. On the other E-mail: rudyromero777@yahoo.com
B4
Region 8 products.
Trade Undersecretary
Zenaida Maglaya (third from
right), Trade Department
Region 8 director Cynthia
Nierras (left) and Leyte
director Desiderio Belas Jr.
(right) pose with key officers
of Businesspeople, one of the
93 enterprises that joined
the recent regional trade fair
dubbed as Bahandi (a local
term for treasures) 2015 Fair
at Megatrade Hall 2 of SM
Megamall in Mandaluyong
City. With them are
Businesspeople’s distributor
Mercy Mariquit, president
Eutemio Cabilin, and chief
finance officer Gloria Canlas.
The Trade Department
affirms that micro, small
and medium enterprises in
Region 8 are back in business
two years after typhoon
Yolanda (Haiyan).

Bigger Caticlan airport on track

By Jenniffer B. Austria among local and foreign tourists.
A dominant player in the food
IN BRIEF
and beverage industry, San Miguel
SAN Miguel Corp. is on track to open a has been diversifying into high- New MRT cards out on Oct. 3
AF PAYMENTS Inc., a consortium led by Ayala Corp. and Metro Pacific Investments Corp.,
world-class and bigger airport in Caticlan, growth industries, including pow-
er, mining, oil refining, telecom-
said Wednesday it will roll out the new contactless automated fare collection system at
Metro Rail Transit Line 3 starting Oct. 3.
the gateway to the resort island of Boracay, munications and infrastructure.
“We are pleased to inform the public that the beep card will soon have full acceptance in
all three train lines that service Metro Manila,” AF Payments president and chief executive

by December 2016, the company’s top execu- Aside from the Caticalan air-
port, San Miguel is also inter-
Peter Maher said in a statement.
The beep card is the new contactless payment solution developed to make the payment

tive said Wednesday.

process more convenient across all three rail lines as it allows seamless transfers from one
ested in other airport projects in rail line to another. The beep card uses a more powerful chip-based system and will serve as
an electronic payment solution for day-to-day payments.
the country. “We hope that this new automated fare collection system will not only improve the train
San Miguel president and chief international flights from Japan, Unit San Miguel Holdings riders’ buying and paying experience, but also facilitate seamless transfer between lines
operating officer Ramon Ang said Korea, Indonesia Malasyia, Singa- Corp. tapped Incheon Interna- with the card’s inter-operability feature,” he said. Darwin G. Amojelar

the P8-billion project included a pore and China,” Ang said. tional Airport Corp. to create
modern airport terminal occupy- Prior to the upgrade, Caticlan SMHC-IIAC Airport Corp. that MPIC buys stake in Vietnam toll road
METRO Pacific Tollways Corp. said Wednesday it completed the acquisition of a 45-per-
ing an 80,000-square-meter lot airport could only accommodate will bid for the P108.2 billion cent stake in a toll road operator in Vietnam.
that would have 12 air bridges. turbo propeller airplanes given bundled airport project of Trans- The tollway unit of Metro Pacific Investment Corp. acquired the significant minority eq-
uity interest of CII Bridges and Roads Investment Joint Stock Company through a a combina-
“The new terminal should be run- its short runway. portation Department. tion of purchase of CII B&R secondary shares from Ho Chi Minh City Infrastructure Invest-
ning by December 2016,” Ang said. Aside from expansion of the The five provincial airports ment Joint Stock Company and subscription to VND-denominated bonds issued by CII.
He said the length of the run- runway and the construction of a included in the bundle are the The transaction was valued at $90 million.
CII B&R is a toll road company located in Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam with about eight
way was also being expanded new airport terminal, San Miguel P20.26-billion Bacolod-Silay In- toll road and bridge projects with approximately 123 kilometers in total. Existing traffic is
to 1,900 meters from 950 me- also plans to build a hotel, a shop- ternational Airport and the P30.4- about 46 thousand vehicles a daily.
CII B&R has a rich project portfolio comprising of five operating projects, namely New
ters while its width was being ping mall and a convention cen- billion Iloilo International Airport Rach Chiec Bridge Project, Phan Rang – Thap Cham Bypass (Phase 1), DT741 Road Project, Sai
expanded to 45 meters from 20 ter that will be connected in the under package 1, and the P14.62- Gon 2 Bridge B.T. Project and Rach Mieu Bridge (Phase 1) B.O.T. Project. Darwin G. Amojelar
meters in a bid to accommodate new airport terminal. billion Laguindingan Airport,
wide-body aircraft. The Caticalan airport recorded P2.34-billion New Bohol (Pan- Business groups want traffic czar
“It will be able to handle jet Air- a rapid growth in passenger vol- glao) Airport and P40.57-billion THE Makati Business Club, the Financial Executives Institute of the Philippines and the
Joint Foreign Chambers have supported the recommendations Management Association of
bus 321 carrying 240 passenger or ume over the past few years due Davao International Airport un- the Philippines in solving traffic and transportation problems in Metro Manila.
Boeing 737-900. It can also handle to increased popularity of Boracay der package 2. MAP earlier announced a set of recommendations to solve the traffic problems in Metro Manila.
Among the recommendations were the designation of a traffic czar to take overall charge
of all matters related to or affecting traffic and road management and deputizing a special-
ly-trained highway patrol group within the Philippine National Police to enforce traffic rules.

Pru Life bullish on PH insurance sector Another proposal is to direct traffic Czar to introduce road engineering refinements such
as bus lane delineators on Edsa and other major national roads to increase their efficiency.
MAP has also called on the government to fast-track the upgrade and capacity expansion of
the Metro Rail Transit Line 3 as well as upgrade existing major national roads into expressways.
By Gabrielle H. Binaday Insurance penetration rate in the now being used by neighboring “This initiative is an outstanding example of how business managers can apply their
experience and talent towards finding practical and effective solutions to issues of major
Philippines stood at 1.5 percent Southeast Asian countries. concern,” said MBC chairman Ramon del Rosario Jr. Othel V. Campos
BALESIN ISLAND, Quezon— in 2014. “Insurance Commission
Pru Life UK Philippines said it De Rosas said the projected considers 100 percent of single SkyCable denies GMA Network’s claim
expects insurance sales to in- growth would be driven by re- premium business. However, SKYCABLE Corp. on Wednesday disputed GMA Network Inc.’s claim of signal disruption
crease by more than 20 percent cruitment forces and the quality this somehow distorts the pre- during Eat Bulaga’s “Kalye-Serye” segment.
this year, as it continues to widen of products focusing on the pro- mium income for a year since SkyCable, the pay television unit of ABS-CBN Corp., said there was no network problem
covering July to August 2015 period that could have resulted in the loss of GMA 7’s signal.
policy holders’ distribution. tection of distributors and value single premium covers the en- “If there were incidents of signal loss affecting certain portions of the network in the areas
Pru Life UK president and of policy holders. tire period of the policy,” ac- and period referred to, these affected other channels as well, not just GMA 7,” SkyCable said.
The cable TV operator, however, said it would continue to cooperate with the National Tele-
chief executive Antonio de Rosas He said 82 percent of the total cording to a report by Nation- communications Commission if the regulator saw the need to further investigate the matter.
told reporters the insurance com- income of Pru Life UK were from al Reinsurance Corporation of “Once again, we take strong exception to GMA’s claim that the signal interruption is con-
fined only to their network since there is no basis for this insinuation,” SkyCable said.
pany posted an average growth of agent sales while the remaining the Philippines. GMA Network, in a five-page letter dated Septe, 17 to NTC, claimed the signal disrup-
22 percent over the last five years. 18 percent came from broker Under the measures being used tions were “irresponsible acts” on the part of SkyCable, adding they were not isolated cases.

“Year-on-year from 2010 to bank partners. by the IC, Pru Life UK’s premium Darwin G. Amojelar

2014 our compounded growth “We will continue the sale of income stood at P15.634 billion
rate is 22 percent... we target to regular and single premiums,” de in 2014, the fourth among the Traders buck port congestion charges
maintain and even surpass that,” Rosas said. industry. Under the APE system, THE Federation of Philippine Industries has asked the Senate to check the port congestion
and shipping charges imposed on shipments despite the improved situation in Manila ports.
de Rosas said at the sidelines of Pru Life UK also asked the in- where only 10 percent of the sin- FPI sent a letter to Senator Benigno Paolo Aquino III dated Sept. 22, 2015 to investigate
the Life Insurance Seminar 101 surance industry regulators to gle premium is considered, Pru shipping companies that allegedly continued to collect port congestion charges from ex-
porters and importers.
for the Philippine media here on adopt international standards Life UK’s income stood at P8.13 “While some shipping lines discontinued the collection of PCS, there are other types of
Wednesday. in measuring sales of insurance billion, which ranked it third charges that have been imposed by various shipping lines,” the group said.
Port congestions fees have been packaged anew in the form of emergency cost recovery
He said Pru Life UK also companies. among the industry players. surcharge, container imbalance charge, equipment positioning services, container cleaning
aimed to increase the current De Rosas said the industry “There is one universal mea- fees, documentation fee at destination and terminal handling charge, it said.

12-percent share in the domestic should adopt the annual pre- sure and why we should adopt it Documents showed an increasing trend in container imbalance charge. CIC collected
$100 per container in the first half of 2014, $150 in the second half of 2014 and $250 in the
insurance market as more Filipi- mium equivalent in measuring and the IC should adopt it,” said first half of 2015. Othel V. Campos
nos were expected to be insured. sales of the industry, which was De Rosas.
 T H U R S D AY : S E P T E M B E R 24 , 2 0 1 5

BUSINESS
business@thestandard.com.ph
extrastory2000@gmail.com
B5
Lower power rates
still an elusive dream
HIGH power
rates, the
bane of local
and foreign
investors in the
Phi lippines,
remain a
deterrent to a more robust economic growth. They clearly raise
production cost and ultimately force potential investors to go
somewhere else where rates are much cheaper.
Energy regulators in the Philippines are trying to address the
issue, which has long been the complaint of foreign investors. But
the Energy Department and the Energy Regulatory Commission
appeared to have started on the wrong foot when they issued the
first draft of the implementing guidelines on the controversial
competitive selection process, or CSP.
The CSP is essentially a method where electric cooperatives and
distribution utilities secure their power supply agreements through Hall of fame. The Cement Manufacturers’ Association of the Philippines and the United Pulp and Paper
Company are inducted into the Sustainable Development Initiatives Hall of Fame at the Federation of Philippine
a bidding process among participating generation companies, or
Industries general membership meeting held recently in Makati. It is the first time in five years that the Hall
gencos. of Fame award was given out. CeMAP represented the only sector out of 33 industry sectors to win the award,
It is different from bilateral contracts where the ECs and DUs are while UPPC was the lone winner out of 120 corporations. Shown are (from left) FPI chairman Jesus Arranza,
allowed to look for and negotiate directly with gencos of their choice CeMAP president Ernesto Ordoñez, UPPC official Eleazar Dela Cruz and FPI president George Chua.
to get the most optimal deal they could from potential electricity
suppliers.

BDO Unibank okays

The government’s version of the CSP, however, will ironically
lead to higher rates for consumers. Consumer and advocacy group
CitizenWatch noted that while gencos might offer the least bid, it
did not necessarily mean it was the lowest cost possible.
The process actually favors gencos that will still offer relatively
higher electricity rates. Such was result of the bidding for the
demand/load of the Central Luzon Electric Cooperative Association-
First Luzon Aggregation Group. The winning bid in the CSP was
apparently not the least cost. The losing bidders, informed that the
contract between CLECA-FLAG and the winning party has yet
$200-m loan to EDC
By Alena Mae S. Flores Batangas, with enough demand to underpin its eco-
to be filed before the ERC, went back to negotiate and offer lower nomic viability.
power rates.
The CSP’s design, as drawn up by the the ERC and the Energy
FIRST Gen Corp. signed a $200-mil- First Gen currently owns the 1,000-MW Sta. Rita
and 500-MW San Lorenzo natural gas power plant
Department, limits the ability of cooperatives and distribution lion term loan agreement with BDO in Batangas. The plants are fueled by the Malam-
utilities to choose their power supplier. They are left with just one paya gas to power project in northwest Palawan.
mode of securing their power requirements as negotiated contracts Unibank Inc. to finance the comple- The company is also pursuing construction of a
will no longer be allowed.
Moreover, they will not be able to further negotiate submitted or
tion of two power plants. $1-billion liquefied natural gas regasification ter-
“First Gen intends to use the proceeds from the minal in Batangas in preparation for the eventual
winning bids and have no influence over the rates offered by the notes as funding for its subsidiaries’ capital require- depletion of the Malampaya gas field by 2024.
gencos. ments and other general corporate purposes. The First Gen is set to announce its joint venture part-
facility will have a tenor of 10 years from issue date,” ner for the planned LNG project in 2016.
No real competition First Gen said in a disclosure to the stock exchange. Puno said the front-end engineering design was
The CSP actually kills competition that normally leads to lower BDO Capital & Investment Corp. arranged the on the second stage of revision as the company was
electricity rates. ECs and DUs are all mandated to follow the CSP capital raising program. preparing for the tendering process for the con-
policy but gencos are not. With gencos not obliged to join the First Gen said it expected to complete the expan- struction.
process, competition is decreased. sion of the 414-megawatt San Gabriel natural gas He said the LNG terminal would allow First Gen
The few participating gencos, meanwhile, can dictate the contract power plant by the second quarter of 2016. The 97 to import LNG and “address the depletion of the
provisions and collectively set the floor price for bidding prices. MW Avion open cycle peaking power plant is ex- Malampaya gas 10 years from now.”
“There is a possibility of collusion among gencos to tighten pected to start delivering power by the second se- First Gen tapped French firm Tractebel Engi-
supply and raise power prices,” CitizenWatch said. The consumer mester this year. neering for the detailed design of the LNG terminal.
watchdog has asked regulators to suspend CSP following a failure in “Our natural gas platform should see a firm “The FEED is still undergoing fine tuning but
a previous bidding process. strengthening as we complete our 97-MW Avion open when you look at the FEED study, you can now
“The DoE circular is barking at the wrong tree,” CitizenWatch cycle plant within the third quarter 2015 and the 414- build. Next thing to do is conduct the tender pro-
secretary general Wilford Wong quoted policy expert Nonoy Oplas MW San Gabriel combined cycle plant within the sec- cess. We have shortlisted potential contractors that
as saying. ond quarter 2016, to serve the mid-merit requirements are very capable of building a world class facility, in-
“By making the competitive bidding mandatory rather than of the Luzon grid,” the company said. ternational players. They will be able to deliver the
voluntary, it will invite or create more problems than what it intends First Gen chairman Federico Puno said the devel- terminal hopefully on time,” he said.
to solve. The DoE and other government agencies should instead opment of the new plants, aside from Santa Rita and Puno said they planned to award the contract by
address other factors that make electricity expensive, including San Lorenzo power plants would form as the basis next year in time for the start of construction in the
prohibitive taxation and several layers of permits that leave room for the development of the LNG import terminal in second half of 2016 or 2017.
for corruption and extortion,” he said.
CitizenWatch also questioned circular’s endorsement of an
Energy-approved independent arbiter to administer the bidding
process.
“Electricity is considered a basic need of every person and passing
Cash transfer keeping children in school
the duty of our regulators—which have evaluated supply contracts By Julito G. Rada from P500 to P1,400 per household crises; ensuring that children grow
for years now—to someone who is not competent enough to per month, depending on the num- up healthy, well-fed, and can stay in
ber of eligible children. school and learn; empowering wom-
determine what is best or not for the consumers, is dangerous and
THE World Bank on Wednesday “Poverty in the Philippines is a en and girls; and creating jobs.
will be subject to abuse,” Wong said. said Pantawid Pamilya, the coun- dynamic phenomenon and many Almost 4.5 million households in
CitizenWatch said it would push for the suspension of the try’s conditional cash transfer pro- households move in and out of pov- the country are enrolled in the Pan-
circular, which it described as “ambiguous.” “It is not indicative that gram, is keeping children healthy erty during the year due to factors tawid Pamilya from only 360,000
a winning bidder to supply power to DUs is indeed the lowest bid as and in school. like calamities, droughts, or the ad- households in 2008.
what happened in CLECA. DoE’s plan to implement CSP might be Ruslan Yemtsov, World Bank lead vent of the lean seasons,” Yemtsov World Bank country director
prejudicial to consumers,” the group added. technical expert on social safety said. Motoo Konishi said the CCT grant,
ERC chairman Jose Vicente Salazar has promised to conduct nets, said in a news briefing in Tagu- “The poor and vulnerable in the on average, accounted for about 11
consultations with stakeholders by the middle to the third week of ig City that 82 percent of the benefits Philippines benefit from what is to- percent of the income of the poorest
October. The official said the ERC wants to have a decision by that of Pantawid Pamilya went to the day one of the largest and best-tar- recipient households.
time. bottom 40 percent of the Philippine geted social safety net programs in He said the grants were very im-
“So either we go on with the CSP or set that aside. We have to population comprising the country’s the world,” he said. portant for poor and vulnerable
consider the position of all concerned parties,” he said. poor households as well as those that Social safety net programs include households. He said two rounds of
were highly vulnerable to poverty. cash and in-kind transfers targeted rigorous impact evaluation showed
Yemtsov led the preparation of the to poor and vulnerable households, that recipients used the money they
E-mail: rayenano@yahoo.com or extrastory2000@gmail.com report The State of Social Safety Nets with the goal of protecting fami- received to buy food, school uni-
or business@thestandard.com.ph 2015. Pantawid Pamilya involves lies from the impact of economic forms and school supplies for their
distributing cash grants, ranging shocks, natural disasters, and other children.
 r) Cyber refers to a computer or a computer network, the both, except with respect to number 5 herein:
Rules and Regulations Implementing electronic medium in which online communication takes place;
1. Illegal Access – The access to the whole or any part
Republic Act No. 10175, Otherwise Known as the s) Database refers to a representation of information,
knowledge, facts, concepts or instructions which are being
of a computer system without right.

“Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012” prepared, processed or stored, or have been prepared,
processed or stored in a formalized manner, and which are
2. Illegal Interception – The interception made by
technical means and without right, of any non-
Pursuant to the authority of the Department of Justice, Department intended for use in a computer system; public transmission of computer data to, from, or
of Interior and Local Government, and Department of Science and within a computer system, including electromagnetic
Technology under Republic Act No. 10175, otherwise known as t) Digital evidence refers to digital information that may be emissions from a computer system carrying such
the “Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012”, the following rules and used as evidence in a case. The gathering of the digital computer data: Provided, however, That it shall not be
regulations are hereby promulgated to implement the provisions of information may be carried out by confiscation of the unlawful for an officer, employee, or agent of a service
said Act: storage media (data carrier), the tapping or monitoring of provider, whose facilities are used in the transmission
network traffic, or the making of digital copies (e.g., forensic of communications, to intercept, disclose or use that
RULE 1 images, file copies, etc.), of the data held; communication in the normal course of employment,
Preliminary Provisions while engaged in any activity that is necessary to the
u) Electronic evidence refers to evidence, the use of which is rendition of service or to the protection of the rights
Section 1. Title. – These Rules shall be referred to as the sanctioned by existing rules of evidence, in ascertaining in or property of the service provider, except that the
Implementing Rules and Regulations of Republic Act No. 10175, or a judicial proceeding, the truth respecting a matter of fact, latter shall not utilize service observing or random
the “Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012”. which evidence is received, recorded, transmitted, stored, monitoring other than for purposes of mechanical or
processed, retrieved or produced electronically; service control quality checks.
Section 2. Declaration of Policy. – The State recognizes the
vital role of information and communications industries, such as v) Forensics refers to the application of investigative and 3. Data Interference – The intentional or reckless
content production, telecommunications, broadcasting, electronic analytical techniques that conform to evidentiary standards, alteration, damaging, deletion or deterioration of
commerce and data processing, in the State’s overall social and and are used in, or appropriate for, a court of law or other computer data, electronic document or electronic data
economic development. legal context; message, without right, including the introduction or
transmission of viruses.
The State also recognizes the importance of providing an w) Forensic image, also known as a forensic copy, refers to
environment conducive to the development, acceleration, an exact bit-by-bit copy of a data carrier, including slack, 4. System Interference – The intentional alteration, or
and rational application and exploitation of information and unallocated space and unused space. There are forensic reckless hindering or interference with the functioning
communications technology to attain free, easy, and intelligible tools available for making these images. Most tools produce of a computer or computer network by inputting,
access to exchange and/or delivery of information; and the need information, like a hash value, to ensure the integrity of the transmitting, damaging, deleting, deteriorating,
to protect and safeguard the integrity of computer, computer and image; altering or suppressing computer data or program,
communications systems, networks and databases, and the electronic document or electronic data message,
confidentiality, integrity, and availability of information and data x) Hash value refers to the mathematical algorithm produced without right or authority, including the introduction or
stored therein from all forms of misuse, abuse and illegal access by against digital information (a file, a physical disk or a logical transmission of viruses.
making punishable under the law such conduct or conducts. disk) thereby creating a “digital fingerprint” or “digital DNA”
for that information. It is a one-way algorithm and thus it is 5. Misuse of Devices, which shall be punished with
The State shall adopt sufficient powers to effectively prevent and not possible to change digital evidence without changing imprisonment of prision mayor, or a fine of not more
combat such offenses by facilitating their detection, investigation the corresponding hash values; than Five Hundred Thousand Pesos (P500,000.00),
and prosecution at both the domestic and international levels, and by or both, is committed through any of the following
providing arrangements for fast and reliable international cooperation. y) Identifying information refers to any name or number acts:
that may be used alone or in conjunction with any other
Section 3. Definition of Terms. – The following terms are defined information to identify any specific individual, including any a. The use, production, sale, procurement,
as follows: of the following: importation, distribution or otherwise making
available, intentionally and without right, of any
a) Access refers to the instruction, communication with, 1. Name, date of birth, driver’s license number, passport of the following:
storing data in, retrieving data from, or otherwise number or tax identification number;
making use of any resources of a computer system or i. A device, including a computer program,
communication network; 2. Unique biometric data, such as fingerprint or other designed or adapted primarily for the
unique physical representation; purpose of committing any of the offenses
b) Act refers to Republic Act No. 10175 or the “Cybercrime under this rules; or
Prevention Act of 2012”; 3. Unique electronic identification number, address or
routing code; and ii. A computer password, access code, or
c) Alteration refers to the modification or change, in form similar data by which the whole or any part
or substance, of an existing computer data or program; 4. Telecommunication identifying information or access of a computer system is capable of being
device. accessed with the intent that it be used
d) Central Authority refers to the DOJ – Office of for the purpose of committing any of the
Cybercrime; z) Information and communication technology system offenses under this rules.
refers to system intended for, and capable of, generating,
e) Child Pornography refers to the unlawful or prohibited sending, receiving, storing or otherwise processing b. The possession of an item referred to in
acts defined and punishable by Republic Act No. 9775 electronic data messages or electronic documents, and subparagraphs 5(a)(i) or (ii) above, with the intent
or the “Anti-Child Pornography Act of 2009”, committed includes the computer system or other similar device by or to use said devices for the purpose of committing
through a computer system: Provided, that the penalty in which data is recorded or stored, and any procedures any of the offenses under this section.
to be imposed shall be one (1) degree higher than that related to the recording or storage of electronic data
provided for in Republic Act No. 9775; message or electronic document; Provided, That no criminal liability shall attach when
the use, production, sale, procurement, importation,
f) Collection refers to gathering and receiving information; aa) Interception refers to listening to, recording, monitoring or distribution, otherwise making available, or
surveillance of the content of communications, including possession of computer devices or data referred to in
g) Communication refers to the transmission of procurement of the content of data, either directly through this section is for the authorized testing of a computer
information through information and communication access and use of a computer system, or indirectly through system.
technology (ICT) media, including voice, video and other the use of electronic eavesdropping or tapping devices, at
forms of data; the same time that the communication is occurring; If any of the punishable acts enumerated in Section
4(A) is committed against critical infrastructure, the
h) Competent Authority refers to either the Cybercrime bb) Internet content host refers to a person who hosts or who penalty of reclusion temporal, or a fine of at least
Investigation and Coordinating Center or the DOJ – proposes to host internet content in the Philippines; Five Hundred Thousand Pesos (P500,000.00) up
Office of Cybercrime, as the case may be; to maximum amount commensurate to the damage
cc) Law enforcement authorities refers to the National incurred, or both shall be imposed.
i) Computer refers to an electronic, magnetic, Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and the Philippine National
optical, electrochemical, or other data processing or Police (PNP) under Section 10 of the Act; B. Computer-related Offenses, which shall be punished
communications device, or grouping of such devices, with imprisonment of prision mayor, or a fine of at least
capable of performing logical, arithmetic, routing or dd) Original author refers to the person who created or is the Two Hundred Thousand Pesos (P200,000.00) up to a
storage functions, and which includes any storage origin of the assailed electronic statement or post using a maximum amount commensurate to the damage incurred,
facility or equipment or communications facility or computer system; or both, are as follows:
equipment directly related to or operating in conjunction 1. Computer-related Forgery –
with such device. It covers any type of computer device, ee) Preservation refers to the keeping of data that already
including devices with data processing capabilities like exists in a stored form, protected from anything that
would cause its current quality or condition to change or a. The input, alteration or deletion of any computer
mobile phones, smart phones, computer networks and data without right, resulting in inauthentic data,
other devices connected to the internet; deteriorate. It is the activity that keeps that stored data
secure and safe; with the intent that it be considered or acted
upon for legal purposes as if it were authentic,
j) Computer data refers to any representation of facts, regardless whether or not the data is directly
information, or concepts in a form suitable for processing in ff) Service provider refers to:
readable and intelligible; or
a computer system, including a program suitable to cause
a computer system to perform a function, and includes 1. any public or private entity that provides users of its
service with the ability to communicate by means of a b. The act of knowingly using computer data, which
electronic documents and/or electronic data messages is the product of computer-related forgery as
whether stored in local computer systems or online; computer system; and
defined herein, for the purpose of perpetuating
2. any other entity that processes or stores computer a fraudulent or dishonest design.
k) Computer program refers to a set of instructions
executed by the computer to achieve intended results; data on behalf of such communication service or
users of such service. 2. Computer-related Fraud – The unauthorized input,
alteration or deletion of computer data or program, or
l) Computer system refers to any device or group of interference in the functioning of a computer system,
interconnected or related devices, one or more of which, gg) Subscriber’s information refers to any information
contained in the form of computer data or any other form causing damage thereby with fraudulent intent:
pursuant to a program, performs automated processing Provided, That if no damage has yet been caused, the
of data. It covers any type of device with data processing that is held by a service provider, relating to subscribers of
its services, other than traffic or content data, and by which penalty imposable shall be one (1) degree lower.
capabilities, including, but not limited to, computers
and mobile phones. The device consisting of hardware any of the following can be established:
3. Computer-related Identity Theft – The intentional
and software may include input, output and storage acquisition, use, misuse, transfer, possession,
components, which may stand alone or be connected 1. The type of communication service used, the
technical provisions taken thereto and the period of alteration or deletion of identifying information
to a network or other similar devices. It also includes belonging to another, whether natural or juridical,
computer data storage devices or media; service;
without right: Provided, That if no damage has yet
2. The subscriber’s identity, postal or geographic been caused, the penalty imposable shall be one (1)
m) Content Data refers to the communication content degree lower.
of the communication, the meaning or purport of the address, telephone and other access number, any
communication, or the message or information being assigned network address, billing and payment
information that are available on the basis of the C. Content-related Offenses:
conveyed by the communication, other than traffic data.
service agreement or arrangement; or
1. Any person found guilty of Child Pornography shall
n) Critical infrastructure refers to the computer systems, be punished in accordance with the penalties set
and/or networks, whether physical or virtual, and/or 3. Any other available information on the site of the
installation of communication equipment that is available forth in Republic Act No. 9775 or the “Anti-Child
the computer programs, computer data and/or traffic Pornography Act of 2009”: Provided, That the penalty
data that are so vital to this country that the incapacity on the basis of the service agreement or arrangement.
to be imposed shall be one (1) degree higher than that
or destruction of or interference with such system and provided for in Republic Act No. 9775 if committed
assets would have a debilitating impact on security, hh) Traffic Data or Non-Content Data refers to any computer
data other than the content of the communication, including, through a computer system.
national or economic security, national public health and
safety, or any combination of those matters; but not limited to the communication’s origin, destination,
route, time, date, size, duration, or type of underlying service; Section 5. Other Cybercrimes. – The following constitute other
and cybercrime offenses punishable under the Act:
o) Cybersecurity refers to the collection of tools, policies,
risk management approaches, actions, training, best 1. Cyber-squatting – The acquisition of a domain
practices, assurance and technologies that can be used ii) Without Right refers to either: (i) conduct undertaken
without or in excess of authority; or (ii) conduct not covered name over the internet, in bad faith, in order to profit,
to protect the cyber environment, and organization and mislead, destroy reputation, and deprive others from
user’s assets; by established legal defenses, excuses, court orders,
justifications or relevant principles under the law. registering the same, if such a domain name is:
p) National Cybersecurity Plan refers to a comprehensive a. Similar, identical, or confusingly similar to
plan of actions designed to improve the security and RULE 2
an existing trademark registered with the
enhance cyber resilience of infrastructures and services. Punishable Acts and Penalties
appropriate government agency at the time of
It is a top-down approach to cybersecurity that contains the domain name registration;
broad policy statements and establishes a set of national Cybercrimes
objectives and priorities that should be achieved within a b. Identical or in any way similar with the name of
specific timeframe; Section 4. Cybercrime Offenses. – The following acts constitute the
a person other than the registrant, in case of a
offense of core cybercrime punishable under the Act:
personal name; and
q) Cybersex refers to the willful engagement,
maintenance, control or operation, directly or indirectly, A. Offenses against the confidentiality, integrity and
c. Acquired without right or with intellectual
of any lascivious exhibition of sexual organs or sexual availability of computer data and systems shall be
property interests in it.
activity, with the aid of a computer system, for favor or punished with imprisonment of prision mayor or a fine of at
consideration; least Two Hundred Thousand Pesos (P200,000.00) up to a
Cyber-squatting shall be punished with imprisonment
maximum amount commensurate to the damage incurred, or
 of prision mayor, or a fine of at least Two Hundred agency relations in addressing cybercrimes; for any proceeding before any court or tribunal.
Thousand Pesos (P200,000.00) up to a maximum
amount commensurate to the damage incurred, or f. Maintain necessary and relevant databases for statistical The Rules of Court shall have suppletory application in implementing
both: Provided, That if it is committed against critical and/or monitoring purposes; the Act.
infrastructure, the penalty of reclusion temporal,
or a fine of at least Five Hundred Thousand Pesos g. Develop capacity within their organizations in order to Section 19. Non-compliance. – Failure to comply with the
(P500,000.00) up to maximum amount commensurate perform such duties necessary for the enforcement of the provisions of Chapter IV of the Act, and Rules 7 and 8 of Chapter
to the damage incurred, or both shall be imposed. Act; VII hereof, specifically the orders from law enforcement authorities,
shall be punished as a violation of Presidential Order No. 1829
2. Cybersex – The willful engagement, maintenance, h. Support the formulation and enforcement of the national (entitled “Penalizing Obstruction Of Apprehension And Prosecution
control or operation, directly or indirectly, of any lascivious cybersecurity plan; and Of Criminal Offenders”) with imprisonment of prision correccional
exhibition of sexual organs or sexual activity, with the in its maximum period, or a fine of One Hundred Thousand Pesos
aid of a computer system, for favor or consideration. i. Perform other functions as may be required by the Act. (P100,000.00), or both for each and every noncompliance with an
Any person found guilty cybersex shall be punished order issued by law enforcement authorities.
with imprisonment of prision mayor, or a fine of at least Section 11. Duties of Law Enforcement Authorities. – To ensure that
Two Hundred Thousand Pesos (P200,000.00), but not the technical nature of cybercrime and its prevention is given focus, and Section 20. Extent of Liability of a Service Provider. – Except
exceeding One Million Pesos (P1,000,000.00), or both. considering the procedures involved for international cooperation, law as otherwise provided in this Section, no person or party shall be
enforcement authorities, specifically the computer or technology crime subject to any civil or criminal liability in respect of a computer data
Cybersex involving a child shall be punished in accordance divisions or units responsible for the investigation of cybercrimes, are for which the person or party acting as a service provider merely
with the provision on child pornography of the Act. required to submit timely and regular reports including pre-operation, provides access if such liability is founded on:
post-operation and investigation results, and such other documents
Where the maintenance, control, or operation of as may be required to the Department of Justice (DOJ) – Office of a. The obligations and liabilities of the parties under a
cybersex likewise constitutes an offense punishable Cybercrime for review and monitoring. computer data;
under Republic Act No. 9208, as amended, a
prosecution under the Act shall be without prejudice to Law enforcement authorities shall act in accordance with the guidelines, b. The making, publication, dissemination or distribution
any liability for violation of any provision of the Revised advisories and procedures issued and promulgated by the competent of such computer data or any statement made in such
Penal Code, as amended, or special laws, including authority in all matters related to cybercrime, and utilize the prescribed computer data, including possible infringement of any
R.A. No. 9208, consistent with Section 8 hereof. forms and templates, including, but not limited to, preservation orders, right subsisting in or in relation to such computer data:
chain of custody, consent to search, consent to assume account/online Provided, That:
3. Libel – The unlawful or prohibited acts of libel, as defined identity and request for computer forensic examination.
in Article 355 of the Revised Penal Code, as amended, 1. The service provider does not have actual
committed through a computer system or any other Section 12. Preservation and Retention of Computer Data. – knowledge, or is not aware of the facts or
similar means which may be devised in the future shall be The integrity of traffic data and subscriber information shall be kept, circumstances from which it is apparent, that the
punished with prision correccional in its maximum period retained and preserved by a service provider for a minimum period of making, publication, dissemination or distribution
to prision mayor in its minimum period or a fine ranging six (6) months from the date of the transaction. Content data shall be of such material is unlawful or infringes any rights
from Six Thousand Pesos (P6,000.00) up to the maximum similarly preserved for six (6) months from the date of receipt of the subsisting in or in relation to such material;
amount determined by Court, or both, in addition to the order from law enforcement authorities requiring its preservation.
civil action which may be brought by the offended party: 2. The service provider does not knowingly receive a
Provided, That this provision applies only to the original Law enforcement authorities may order a one-time extension for financial benefit directly attributable to the unlawful
author of the post or online libel, and not to others who another six (6) months: Provided, That once computer data that or infringing activity; and
simply receive the post and react to it. is preserved, transmitted or stored by a service provider is used as
evidence in a case, the mere act of furnishing such service provider 3. The service provider does not directly commit any
4. Other offenses – The following acts shall also with a copy of the transmittal document to the Office of the Prosecutor infringement or other unlawful act, does not induce
constitute an offense which shall be punished with shall be deemed a notification to preserve the computer data until the or cause another person or party to commit any
imprisonment of one (1) degree lower than that of final termination of the case and/or as ordered by the Court, as the infringement or other unlawful act, and/or does not
the prescribed penalty for the offense, or a fine of at case may be. directly benefit financially from the infringing activity
least One Hundred Thousand Pesos (P100,000.00) or unlawful act of another person or party: Provided,
but not exceeding Five Hundred Thousand Pesos The service provider ordered to preserve computer data shall keep the further, That nothing in this Section shall affect:
(P500,000.00), or both: order and its compliance therewith confidential.
i. Any obligation arising from contract;
A. Aiding or Abetting in the Commission of Section 13. Collection of Computer Data. Law enforcement
Cybercrime. – Any person who willfully abets, authorities, upon the issuance of a court warrant, shall be authorized ii. The obligation of a service provider as such
aids, or financially benefits in the commission of to collect or record by technical or electronic means, and the service under a licensing or other regulatory regime
any of the offenses enumerated in the Act shall be providers are required to collect or record by technical or electronic established under law;
held liable, except with respect to Sections 4(c)(2) means and/or to cooperate and assist in the collection or recording
on Child Pornography and 4(c)(4) on online Libel. of computer data that are associated with specified communications iii. Any obligation imposed under any law; or
transmitted by means of a computer system.
B. Attempt to Commit Cybercrime. – Any person who iv. The civil liability of any party to the extent that
willfully attempts to commit any of the offenses The court warrant required under this section shall be issued or granted such liability forms the basis for injunctive
enumerated in the Act shall be held liable, upon written application, after the examination under oath or affirmation relief issued by a court under any law requiring
except with respect to Sections 4(c)(2) on Child of the applicant and the witnesses he may produce, and the showing that the service provider take or refrain from
Pornography and 4(c)(4) on online Libel. that: (1) there are reasonable grounds to believe that any of the crimes actions necessary to remove, block or deny
enumerated hereinabove has been committed, is being committed or access to any computer data, or to preserve
Other Liabilities and Penalties is about to be committed; (2) there are reasonable grounds to believe evidence of a violation of law.
that the evidence that will be obtained is essential to the conviction of
Section 6. Corporate Liability. – When any of the punishable acts any person for, or to the solution of, or to the prevention of any such
crimes; and (3) there are no other means readily available for obtaining RULE 4
herein defined are knowingly committed on behalf of or for the benefit Jurisdiction
of a juridical person, by a natural person acting either individually or such evidence.
as part of an organ of the juridical person, who has a leading position Section 21. Jurisdiction. – The Regional Trial Court shall have
within, based on: (a) a power of representation of the juridical person; Section 14. Disclosure of Computer Data. – Law enforcement
authorities, upon securing a court warrant, shall issue an order requiring jurisdiction over any violation of the provisions of the Act, including
(b) an authority to take decisions on behalf of the juridical person; any violation committed by a Filipino national regardless of the place
or (c) an authority to exercise control within the juridical person, the any person or service provider to disclose or submit, within seventy-
two (72) hours from receipt of such order, subscriber’s information, of commission. Jurisdiction shall lie if any of the elements was
juridical person shall be held liable for a fine equivalent to at least committed within the Philippines, or committed with the use of any
double the fines imposable in Section 7 up to a maximum of Ten traffic data or relevant data in his/its possession or control, in relation
to a valid complaint officially docketed and assigned for investigation by computer system that is wholly or partly situated in the country, or
Million Pesos (P10,000,000.00). when by such commission any damage is caused to a natural or
law enforcement authorities, and the disclosure of which is necessary
and relevant for the purpose of investigation. juridical person who, at the time the offense was committed, was in
If the commission of any of the punishable acts herein defined was the Philippines.
made possible due to the lack of supervision or control by a natural
person referred to and described in the preceding paragraph, for the Law enforcement authorities shall record all sworn complaints in their
official docketing system for investigation. Section 22. Venue. – Criminal action for violation of the Act may
benefit of that juridical person by a natural person acting under its be filed with the RTC of the province or city where the cybercrime or
authority, the juridical person shall be held liable for a fine equivalent any of its elements is committed, or where any part of the computer
to at least double the fines imposable in Section 7 up to a maximum Section 15. Search, Seizure and Examination of Computer Data.
– Where a search and seizure warrant is properly issued, the law system used is situated, or where any of the damage caused to a
of Five Million Pesos (P5,000,000.00). natural or juridical person took place: Provided, That the court
enforcement authorities shall likewise have the following powers and
duties: where the criminal action is first filed shall acquire jurisdiction to the
The liability imposed on the juridical person shall be without prejudice to exclusion of other courts.
the criminal liability of the natural person who has committed the offense. a. Within the time period specified in the warrant, to conduct
interception, as defined in this Rules, and to:
Section 23. Designation of Cybercrime Courts. – There shall be
Section 7. Violation of the Revised Penal Code, as Amended, designated special cybercrime courts manned by specially trained
Through and With the Use of Information and Communication 1. Search and seize computer data;
judges to handle cybercrime cases.
Technology. – All crimes defined and penalized by the Revised Penal
Code, as amended, and special criminal laws committed by, through 2. Secure a computer system or a computer data storage
medium; Section 24. Designation of Special Prosecutors and
and with the use of information and communications technologies Investigators. – The Secretary of Justice shall designate
shall be covered by the relevant provisions of the Act: Provided, That prosecutors and investigators who shall comprise the prosecution
the penalty to be imposed shall be one (1) degree higher than that 3. Make and retain a copy of those computer data
secured; task force or division under the DOJ-Office of Cybercrime, which will
provided for by the Revised Penal Code, as amended, and special handle cybercrime cases in violation of the Act.
laws, as the case may be.
4. Maintain the integrity of the relevant stored computer
Section 8. Liability under Other Laws. – A prosecution under data; RULE 5
the Act shall be without prejudice to any liability for violation of any International Cooperation
provision of the Revised Penal Code, as amended, or special laws: 5. Conduct forensic analysis or examination of the
Provided, That this provision shall not apply to the prosecution of an computer data storage medium; and Section 25. International Cooperation. – All relevant international
offender under (1) both Section 4(c)(4) of R.A. 10175 and Article 353 instruments on international cooperation on criminal matters, and
of the Revised Penal Code; and (2) both Section 4(c)(2) of R.A. 10175 6. Render inaccessible or remove those computer arrangements agreed on the basis of uniform or reciprocal legislation
and R.A. 9775 or the “Anti-Child Pornography Act of 2009”. data in the accessed computer or computer and and domestic laws shall be given full force and effect, to the widest
communications network. extent possible for the purposes of investigations or proceedings
concerning crimes related to computer systems and data, or for the
RULE 3
b. Pursuant thereto, the law enforcement authorities may order collection of electronic evidence of crimes.
Enforcement and Implementation
any person, who has knowledge about the functioning of the
computer system and the measures to protect and preserve The DOJ shall cooperate and render assistance to other contracting
Section 9. Law Enforcement Authorities. – The National Bureau the computer data therein, to provide, as is reasonable, parties, as well as request assistance from foreign states, for
of Investigation (NBI) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) the necessary information to enable the undertaking of the purposes of detection, investigation and prosecution of offenses
shall be responsible for the efficient and effective law enforcement search, seizure and examination. referred to in the Act and in the collection of evidence in electronic
of the provisions of the Act. The NBI and the PNP shall organize a
form in relation thereto. The principles contained in Presidential
cybercrime division or unit to be manned by Special Investigators to c. Law enforcement authorities may request for an extension Decree No. 1069 and other pertinent laws, as well as existing
exclusively handle cases involving violations of the Act. of time to complete the examination of the computer data extradition and mutual legal assistance treaties, shall apply. In this
storage medium and to make a return thereon, but in no regard, the central authority shall:
The NBI shall create a cybercrime division to be headed by at least a case for a period longer than thirty (30) days from date of
Head Agent. The PNP shall create an anti-cybercrime unit headed by approval by the court. a. Provide assistance to a requesting State in the real-
at least a Police Director.
time collection of traffic data associated with specified
Section 16. Custody of Computer Data. – All computer data, including communications in the country transmitted by means
The DOJ - Office of Cybercrime (OOC) created under the Act shall content and traffic data, that are examined under a proper warrant of a computer system, with respect to criminal offenses
coordinate the efforts of the NBI and the PNP in enforcing the shall, within forty-eight (48) hours after the expiration of the period fixed defined in the Act for which real-time collection of traffic
provisions of the Act. therein, be deposited with the court in a sealed package, and shall be data would be available, subject to the provisions of
accompanied by an affidavit of the law enforcement authority executing Section 13 hereof;
Section 10. Powers and Functions of Law Enforcement it, stating the dates and times covered by the examination, and the law
Authorities. – The NBI and PNP cybercrime unit or division shall enforcement authority who may have access to the deposit, among b. Provide assistance to a requesting State in the real-
have the following powers and functions: other relevant data. The law enforcement authority shall also certify time collection, recording or interception of content data
that no duplicates or copies of the whole or any part thereof have been of specified communications transmitted by means of a
a. Investigate all cybercrimes where computer systems are made or, if made, that all such duplicates or copies are included in the computer system, subject to the provision of Section 13
involved; package deposited with the court. The package so deposited shall not hereof;
be opened, or the recordings replayed, or used in evidence, or their
b. Conduct data recovery and forensic analysis on computer contents revealed, except upon order of the court, which shall not be c. Allow another State to:
systems and other electronic evidence seized; granted except upon motion, with due notice and opportunity to be
heard to the person or persons whose conversation or communications 1. Access publicly available stored computer data
c. Formulate guidelines in investigation, forensic evidence have been recorded. located in the country or elsewhere; or
recovery, and forensic data analysis consistent with
industry standard practices; Section 17. Destruction of Computer Data. – Upon expiration of 2. Access or receive, through a computer system
the periods as provided in Sections 12 and 15 hereof, or until the final located in the country, stored computer data located
d. Provide technological support to investigating units termination of the case and/or as ordered by the Court, as the case may in another country, if the other State obtains the
within the PNP and NBI including the search, seizure, be, service providers and law enforcement authorities, as the case may lawful and voluntary consent of the person who has
evidence preservation and forensic recovery of data from be, shall immediately and completely destroy the computer data that are the lawful authority to disclose the data to said other
crime scenes and systems used in crimes, and provide the subject of a preservation and examination order or warrant. State through that computer system.
testimonies;
Section 18. Exclusionary Rule. – Any evidence obtained without a d. Receive a request of another State for it to order or obtain
e. Develop public, private sector, and law enforcement valid warrant or beyond the authority of the same shall be inadmissible
 the expeditious preservation of data stored by means of necessary.
a computer system located within the country, relative RULE 7
to which the requesting State shall submit a request for The DOJ Office of Cybercrime shall serve as the Cybercrime Duties of Service Providers
mutual assistance for the search or similar access, seizure Operations Center of the CICC and shall submit periodic reports to
or similar securing, or disclosure of the stored computer the CICC. Section 30. Duties of a Service Provider. – The following are the
data: Provided, That: duties of a service provider:
Participation and representation in the Secretariat and/or Operations
1. A request for preservation of data under this section a. Preserve the integrity of traffic data and subscriber
Center does not require physical presence, but may be done through
shall specify: information for a minimum period of six (6) months from
electronic modes such as email, audio-visual conference calls, and the
like. the date of the transaction;
i. The authority seeking the preservation;
Section 27. Powers and Functions. – The CICC shall have the b. Preserve the integrity of content data for six (6) months
ii. The offense that is the subject of a criminal from the date of receipt of the order from law enforcement
following powers and functions:
investigation or proceedings and a brief or competent authorities requiring its preservation;
summary of the related facts;
a. Formulate a national cybersecurity plan and extend
immediate assistance for the suppression of real-time c. Preserve the integrity of computer data for an extended
iii. The stored computer data to be preserved period of six (6) months from the date of receipt of the
commission of cybercrime offenses through a computer
and its relationship to the offense; order from law enforcement or competent authorities
emergency response team (CERT);
requiring extension on its preservation;
iv. The necessity of the preservation; and
b. Coordinate the preparation of appropriate and effective
measures to prevent and suppress cybercrime activities as d. Preserve the integrity of computer data until the final
v. That the requesting State shall submit a termination of the case and/or as ordered by the Court,
provided for in the Act;
request for mutual assistance for the search as the case may be, upon receipt of a copy of the
or similar access, seizure or similar securing, transmittal document to the Office of the Prosecutor;
c. Monitor cybercrime cases being handled by participating
or disclosure of the stored computer data.
law enforcement and prosecution agencies;
2. Upon receiving the request from another State, the e. Ensure the confidentiality of the preservation orders and
DOJ and law enforcement agencies shall take all d. Facilitate international cooperation on intelligence, its compliance;
appropriate measures to expeditiously preserve the investigations, training and capacity-building related to
specified data, in accordance with the Act and other cybercrime prevention, suppression and prosecution f. Collect or record by technical or electronic means, and/
pertinent laws. For the purposes of responding to a through the DOJ-Office of Cybercrime; or cooperate and assist law enforcement or competent
request for preservation, dual criminality shall not be authorities in the collection or recording of computer
required as a condition; e. Coordinate the support and participation of the business data that are associated with specified communications
sector, local government units and NGOs in cybercrime transmitted by means of a computer system, in relation
3. A request for preservation may only be refused if: prevention programs and other related projects; to Section 13 hereof;

i. The request concerns an offense that the f. Recommend the enactment of appropriate laws, issuances, g. Disclose or submit subscriber’s information, traffic data
Philippine Government considers as a political measures and policies; or relevant data in his/its possession or control to law
offense or an offense connected with a political enforcement or competent authorities within seventy-two (72)
offense; or g. Call upon any government agency to render assistance hours after receipt of order and/or copy of the court warrant;
in the accomplishment of the CICC’s mandated tasks and
ii. The Philippine Government considers the functions; h. Report to the DOJ – Office of Cybercrime compliance
execution of the request to be prejudicial to with the provisions of Chapter IV of the Act, and Rules
its sovereignty, security, public order or other h. Establish and perform community awareness program on 7 and 8 hereof;
national interest. cybercrime prevention in coordination with law enforcement
authorities and stakeholders; and i. Immediately and completely destroy the computer data
4. Where the Philippine Government believes that subject of a preservation and examination after the
preservation will not ensure the future availability i. Perform all other matters related to cybercrime prevention expiration of the period provided in Sections 13 and 15
of the data, or will threaten the confidentiality and suppression, including capacity-building and such other of the Act; and
of, or otherwise prejudice the requesting State’s functions and duties as may be necessary for the proper
investigation, it shall promptly so inform the implementation of the Act. j. Perform such other duties as may be necessary and
requesting State. The requesting State will determine proper to carry into effect the provisions of the Act.
whether its request should be executed; and Section 28. Department of Justice (DOJ); Functions and Duties. Section 31. Duties of a Service Provider in Child Pornography
– The DOJ-Office of Cybercrime (OOC), designated as the central Cases. – In line with RA9775 or the “Anti-Child Pornography Act
5. Any preservation effected in response to the request authority in all matters related to international mutual assistance and of 2009”, the following are the duties of a service provider in child
referred to in paragraph (d) shall be for a period extradition, and the Cybercrime Operations Center of the CICC, shall pornography cases:
not less than sixty (60) days, in order to enable the have the following functions and duties:
requesting State to submit a request for the search 1. An internet service provider (ISP)/internet content
or similar access, seizure or similar securing, or a. Act as a competent authority for all requests for assistance host shall install available technology, program
disclosure of the data. Following the receipt of such for investigation or proceedings concerning cybercrimes, or software, such as, but not limited to, system/
a request, the data shall continue to be preserved facilitate the provisions of legal or technical advice, technology that produces hash value or any similar
pending a decision on that request. preservation and production of data, collection of evidence, calculation, to ensure that access to or transmittal
giving legal information and location of suspects; of any form of child pornography will be blocked or
e. Accommodate request from another State to search, filtered;
access, seize, secure, or disclose data stored by means of b. Act on complaints/referrals, and cause the investigation and
a computer system located within the country, including data prosecution of cybercrimes and other violations of the Act; 2. Service providers shall immediately notify law
that has been preserved under the previous subsection. enforcement authorities within seven (7) days of
c. Issue preservation orders addressed to service providers; facts and circumstances relating to any form child
The Philippine Government shall respond to the pornography that passes through or are being
request through the proper application of international d. Administer oaths, issue subpoena and summon witnesses committed in their system; and
instruments, arrangements and laws, and in accordance to appear in an investigation or proceedings for cybercrime;
with the following rules: 3. A service provider or any person in possession
e. Require the submission of timely and regular reports of traffic data or subscriber’s information, shall,
1. The request shall be responded to on an expedited including pre-operation, post-operation and investigation upon the request of law enforcement or competent
basis where: results, and such other documents from the PNP and NBI authorities, furnish the particulars of users
for monitoring and review; who gained or attempted to gain access to an
i. There are grounds to believe that relevant internet address that contains any form of child
data is particularly vulnerable to loss or f. Monitor the compliance of the service providers with the pornography. ISPs shall also preserve customer
modification; or provisions of Chapter IV of the Act, and Rules 7 and 8 data records, specifically the time, origin, and
hereof; destination of access, for purposes of investigation
ii. The instruments, arrangements and laws and prosecution by relevant authorities under
referred to in paragraph (b) of this section g. Facilitate international cooperation with other law Sections 9 and 11 of R.A. 9775.
otherwise provide for expedited cooperation. enforcement agencies on intelligence, investigations,
training and capacity-building related to cybercrime
2. The requesting State must maintain the confidentiality prevention, suppression and prosecution; RULE 8
of the fact or the subject of request for assistance and Prescribed Forms and Procedures
cooperation. It may only use the requested information h. Issue and promulgate guidelines, advisories, and procedures
subject to the conditions specified in the grant. in all matters related to cybercrime investigation, forensic SEC. 32. Prescribed Forms and Procedures. — The DOJ – Office
evidence recovery, and forensic data analysis consistent of Cybercrime shall issue and promulgate guidelines, advisories,
f. Make a request to any foreign state for assistance for with industry standard practices; and procedures in all matters related to cybercrime, investigation,
purposes of detection, investigation and prosecution of forensic evidence recovery, and forensic data analysis consistent
offenses referred to in the Act; i. Prescribe forms and templates, including, but not limited with international best practices, in accordance with Section 28(h)
to, those for preservation orders, chain of custody, consent and (i) hereof.
g. The criminal offenses described under Chapter II of the Act to search, consent to assume account/online identity, and
shall be deemed to be included as extraditable offenses in any request for computer forensic examination; It shall also prescribe forms and templates such as, but not limited
extradition treaty where the Philippines is a party: Provided, to, preservation orders, chain of custody, consent to search, consent
That the offense is punishable under the laws of both Parties j. Undertake the specific roles and responsibilities of the to assume account/online identity, request for computer forensic
concerned by deprivation of liberty for a minimum period of at DOJ related to cybercrime under the Implementing Rules assistance, write-blocking device validation and first responder
least one year or by a more severe penalty. and Regulation of Republic Act No. 9775 or the “Anti-Child checklist.
Pornography Act of 2009”; and
The Secretary of Justice shall designate appropriate State Counsels to RULE 9
handle all matters of international cooperation as provided in this Rule. k. Perform such other acts necessary for the implementation Final Provisions
of the Act.
SEC. 33. Appropriations. — The amount of Fifty Million
RULE 6 Section 29. Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT). – Pesos (P50,000,000.00) shall be appropriated annually for the
Competent Authorities The DOST-ICT Office shall establish and operate the Computer implementation of the Act under the fiscal management of DOJ -
Emergency Response Team (CERT) that shall serve as coordinator for Office of Cybercrime.
Section 26. Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating cybersecurity related activities, including but not limited to the following
Center; Composition. – The inter-agency body known as the functions and duties: Section 34. Separability Clause. – If any provision of these Rules
Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC), under is held invalid, the other provisions not affected shall remain in full
the administrative supervision of the Office of the President, a. Extend immediate assistance to the CICC to fulfil its force and effect.
established for policy coordination among concerned agencies and mandate under the Act with respect to matters related to
for the formulation and enforcement of the national cyber security cybersecurity and the national cybersecurity plan;
plan, is headed by the Executive Director of the Information and Section 35. Repealing Clause. – All rules and regulations
Communications Technology Office under the Department of b. Issue and promulgate guidelines, advisories, and inconsistent with these Rules are hereby repealed or modified
Science and Technology (ICTO-DOST) as Chairperson; the Director procedures in all matters related to cybersecurity and the accordingly.
of the NBI as Vice-Chairperson; and the Chief of the PNP, the Head national cybersecurity plan;
of the DOJ Office of Cybercrime, and one (1) representative each Section 36. Effectivity. – These rules and regulations shall take
from the private sector, non-governmental organizations, and the c. Facilitate international cooperation with other security effect fifteen (15) days after the completion of its publication in at
academe as members. agencies on intelligence, training, and capacity-building least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.
related to cybersecurity; and
The CICC members shall be constituted as an Executive Committee
and shall be supported by Secretariats, specifically for Cybercrime, d. Serve as the focal point for all instances of cybersecurity DONE in the City of Manila, this 12th day of August 2015.
Administration, and Cybersecurity. The Secretariats shall be manned incidents by:
from existing personnel or representatives of the participating
1. Providing technical analysis of computer security
agencies of the CICC.
incidents;
The CICC may enlist the assistance of any other agency of 2. Assisting users in escalating abuse reports to relevant
the government including government-owned and -controlled parties;
corporations, and the following: MAR ROXAS MARIO G. MONTEJO
3. Conducting research and development on emerging Secretary Secretary
a. Bureau of Immigration; threats to computer security; Department of Interior Department of
4. Issuing relevant alerts and advisories on emerging and Local Government Science and Technology
b. Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency;
threats to computer security.
c. Bureau of Customs; 5. Coordinating cyber security incident responses with
trusted third parties at the national and international
d. National Prosecution Service; levels; and
e. Anti-Money Laundering Council; 6. Conducting technical training on cyber security and
related topics. LEILA M. DE LIMA
f. Securities and Exchange Commission; Secretary
The Philippine National Police and the National Bureau of Investigation
shall serve as the field operations arm of the CERT. The CERT may Department of Justice
g. National Telecommunications Commission; and
also enlist other government agencies to perform CERT functions.
h. Such other offices, agencies and/or units, as may be
(TS-SEPT. 24, 2015)
 T H U R S D AY : S E P T E M B E R 24 : 2 0 1 5

C1
TATUM ANCHETA
EDITOR
BING PAREL
A S S O C I AT E E D I T O R
BERNADETTE LUNAS life @ thestandard.com .ph @LIFEatStandard
WRITER
W EL L BEING

LIFE

Kids doing yoga. We made a balance beam out of blocks for one of our games.

WHY EVERY CHILD

SHOULD DO KIDS YOGA

FINE FETTLE
BY BUBBLES PARAISO

T
he Dalai Lama once said,
“If every eight-year-old Proof that you can do yoga anywhere. I taught yoga in an outreach program for kids who lived Upward Facing Dog
in the world was taught in the cemetery.

meditation, we will omit playing, not knowing that we are Breath Awareness – We teach
violence within one generation.” actually building their skills – from the kids the concept of how our
Meditation and mindfulness is coordination, memory or even breath can affect our moods and
just one of the many exercises in kids patience. We do only a few yoga poses vice versa. By controlling their
yoga. For those who didn’t know, per class, all named after cute animals breath through observance, they can
I’ve been teaching kids yoga for over or people, so as to make it more FUN. begin to change their feelings and
a year now, having been certified by Even the way we do the sun salutations disposition. The kids’ favorite is the
Yogi Beans NYC and Rainbow Kids is turned into a nursery rhyme – it was Lion’s Breath which is the best way
Yoga in Singapore (for kids yoga quite a surprise for me when even one to release unhappiness or frustration
and for kids and family yoga – this of my three-year-old students was able (and it works for adults, too!).
is different from my certification to to recite and do the whole thing by Focus – With the help of
The Lion’s Breath is one of the kids favorite Partner Boat pose. Partner poses foster
teach ashtanga vinyasa yoga). herself last week! meditation, mindfulness exercises, poses. It’s fun to do and a great way to let friendships and teamwork.
Kids yoga, as a lot of you might’ve There are plenty of benefits in breath-work, and asanas, the kids out frustrations.
presumed, is actually not at all like kids yoga and I feel like I should learn how to concentrate and not you would want is to be better than become instant BFFs in class. They’re
ashtanga, vinyasa nor hatha yoga. enumerate some of them. And if lose focus, which aids their ability you were yesterday. usually a mixed age group, so it is quite
It is its own “branch” of yoga as it is you’re one of those parents who have to learn in school. Balance, coordination and heartwarming when you see older kids
designed specifically for kids, their been hesitant to bring their child to Patience and Discipline – I awareness – Through balancing helping out the younger ones in games
capabilities, their needs, and attention class, let this change your mind. After designed some games for my students work (from flying warrior poses and poses, which help enhance their
span. Making a child hold a pose for 30 all, I speak from personal experience that test and develop their patience to toe balancing games), children team skills and social interactions. I
seconds like how one does in Bikram as I’ve been watching these kids grow and discipline. I know it works have more body awareness as their remember in the beginning, I had
yoga won’t be possible at all. We must in front of me, week by week. because some of my students’ pre- kinesthetic senses are developed. this three-year-old student who was
remember that these children are still Strength – Yoga strengthens school teachers and parents would Children are able to understand their extremely shy and hardly participated
working on the foundations of their muscles and joints, as well as helps personally tell me how much the bodies more as they cultivate a sense in class. As the weeks went on, she
balance and posture, and kids yoga kids develop overall strength. You’d kids have changed ever since they of body limitations and extensions. blossomed into this bubbly little girl,
is exactly what we use to build that. be surprised to see a six-year-old started going to kids yoga. Even a It calms the mind – With the and her mom couldn’t stop gushing
Exercises are “hidden” within do chaturangas or handstands like simple “marshmallow test” is deemed help of meditation, mindfulness and telling me how happy she was
games, the kids think they’re just a piece of cake. It makes my heart impossible for them to pass at first. But exercises, and learning how to do with how her child has developed this
smile whenever I see their strength sooner or later, they finally grasp the savasana, kids learn how to relax new lively personality.
develop – the first day of yoga they concept of delayed gratification and and calm themselves when need As the famous song goes, “I
can hardly plank and after a while, parents are more than happy about it. be. Parents are often surprised to believe the children are our future,
they can even hold their side planks Learning how to compete see their kids lying down in stillness teach them well and let them lead
while playing. with oneself – Since yoga is during savasana when they’ve the way.” It held true then, still
Flexibility – Kids are naturally a non-competitive activity, it deemed it impossible for their child holds true now. Let us help shape
flexible; it is when they turn nine teaches kids that though it is to keep still most of the time. the future by nourishing the values
that they start losing it. Doing asanas good to have healthy competition Cultivation of friendship and of the children of today. Namaste.
help stretch their muscles and release sometimes, it is always better to be social skills – The kids have a chance
blocked energy and tension and thus in a non-judgmental and stress free to make friends with children outside Follow me on Instagram and
Meditation, mindfulness and breath make sure that they don’t lose it. environment and the only thing school. It’s so cute seeing some kids Twitter @bubblesparaiso 
awareness is practiced in every class.
 T H U R S D AY : S E P T E M B E R 24 : 2 0 1 5

C2 LIFE
life @ thestandard.com .ph @LIFEatStandard

Still safer than

cigarettes, but...
Vapes, or And it’s this belief that led some
e-cigarettes, authorities to recommend them as a
have been smoking cessation tool. Public Health
getting a England (PHE) recently came out with a
lot of bad white paper suggesting that e-cigarettes
press lately should be prescribed to smokers on
due to freak the National Health Service to help
THE GIST accidents them quit. The organization says that
BY ED BIADO and studies unlike cigarettes, vapes “do not contain
that claim tobacco, do not create smoke and do not
they are no rely on combustion.”
better than tobacco. But the reality of it The absence of combustion – the compound found in vegetables,” propylene Further, PHE reveals that the use of
is that there isn’t enough data to support burning of different substances – makes glycol, “a substance found in asthma the devices might renormalize smoking,
any theory because vapes haven’t been them simpler and therefore, less harmful inhalers,” food grade flavoring, “which reduce quitting and act as a “gateway”
around long enough for researchers than cigarettes. actually gives the juice its distinct taste,” to smoking or nicotine uptake. These
to really study their effects. This is E-cigarettes “should not routinely be and nicotine, which is shown to be most concerns affect not only active smokers,
why right now, they’re considered treated in the same way as smoking. It likely absorbed by the body through the but also those who have quit smoking and
the lesser evil – most likely is not appropriate to prohibit [their] lining of the mouth or the upper airways. nonsmokers who might be encouraged to
safer than cigarettes but still use in health trusts and prisons as part The e-cigarette resource acknowledges take up the habit.
potentially harmful. of smokefree policies unless there is a that the effects of inhaling “flavors over Still, experts across the board realize
strong rationale to do so,” PHE states. a long period of time” is still unknown, that cigarettes pose more health risks.
According to Vaping360.com, “but so far there has not been any studies Which is why PHE recommends that
the vapor released when smoking done showing major adverse long term emerging evidence on e-cigarettes and
e-cigarettes contain “only four main side effects.” how to use them safely “be communicated
ingredients.” These “One important thing to note is that to users and health professionals to
are glycerin, when we are talking about e-liquid, we are maximize chances of successfully
“an organic only recommending that you use trusted quitting smoking.”
companies that produce their liquid in sterile
environments in the USA and other countries Follow me on Twitter and Instagram
with similar regulations,” says the website. @EdBiado

IS YOUR DRINKING WATER SAFE?

Unilever drums up water safety awareness
with “Sure Ka Ba?” campaign

D
rinking contaminated or dirty water Unilever Philippines recently launched viruses and parasites to meet the stringent
can cause water-related diseases like an awareness campaign dubbed “Sure Ka safety standards of the US Environmental
diarrhea, cholera, typhoid, dysentery Ba?” encouraging household consumers Protection Agency.
and other gastrointestinal problems. to question the safety of their drinking During the launch of the Pureit “Sure Ka
Infants, young children, the elderly and those water, and in so doing, protect the health Ba?” campaign, media guests were shown a
with frail health can be susceptible, and the of their families. The company also launched video of how a typical water refilling station
effects can be fatal in some cases. According Pureit, a state-of-the-art non-electric water processed the order of a customer, revealing
to the United Nations Children’s Fund, some purifier that converts tap water into clean how refilled water can become contaminated
of the deadly diseases that can be triggered and safe drinking water. Pureit has an especially during handling, storage and
by drinking contaminated water are diarrhea, advanced five-step purification process delivery of containers.
cholera and typhoid fever. that eliminates 99.99 percent of bacteria, According to the 2013 Kantar Worldpanel
In-Home Packaged Water Report, roughly
60 percent of urban households buy their
drinking water from water refilling stations.
“Through the video, we wanted to show
households, especially the moms, how
refilled water can easily be contaminated
due to improper handling and transport of
Pureit purifier
containers and other human factors. This,
in turn, can pose health risks for the family, and other efforts to bring safe drinking
especially the children,” said Brian Duruin, water closer to Filipino families are part of
Pureit brand manager. the Unilever Sustainable Living Plan which
Two product demonstrations were allows the company to provide health
held to showcase the efficacy of Pureit in and wellness, environment, nutrition and
eliminating microscopic disease-causing livelihood programs on a global scale.
germs and bacteria. The demonstrations Pureit demo units will be on display
were conducted by the Unilever for the month of September at the Avida
Research and Development team and Showroom in Glorietta Center, Makati City
a microbiologist from SGS, the world’s where the launch was held. Avida, one of the
leading inspection, verification, testing country’s leading real estate developers for
and certification company. the mid-market segment of the industry,
Unilever Philippines vice president for supports Unilever and Pureit in their effort
Home Care and Foods Benjie Yap talked to provide households with access to safe
Celebrity mom Dimples Romana, the Pure It brand ambassador, is joined by Unilever Philippines VP for Homecare
about how Pureit’s “Sure Ka Ba?” campaign drinking water to ensure their health.
and Foods Benjie Yap and Pure It Brand Manager Brian Duruin.
 T H U R S D AY : S E P T E M B E R 24 : 2 0 1 5

LIFE
life @ thestandard.com .ph @LIFEatStandard
C3
HEALTH BULLETIN
EATING STREET FOOD INCREASES CHOLESTEROL LEVELS OUR COUNTRY NEEDS MORE BLOOD DONATIONS

Street food plays a big role in a nation’s and folate), overconsumption of this food As Metro Manila prepares for the dreaded A person’s age and weight is generally
culture and urban life. These mostly could threaten a person’s health. According 7.6-magnitude earthquake or “The Big considered prior to being allowed to
colorful, often unusual and always tasty to the American Heart Association, a One,” medical practitioners highlight donate blood. Other factors include
sidewalk fares keep the vibrancy in public healthy person needs only 300 milligrams the importance of seeking more blood body temperature, history of hepatitis,
spaces where people – from all walks of of cholesterol everyday, less than 200 for donations as natural disasters increase the diabetes, cardiovascular disease, asthma,
life – gather to pass the time, mingle and those who are already dealing with high need for blood for injured people. low and high blood pressure, and other
eat cheap meals. cholesterol levels. However, a three-ounce “We need to be prepared,” says Healthway blood related conditions. The next step
Every country has its own distinct street serving or two to three skewered chicken Medical vice president for sales and is to identify the donor’s blood type and
food. Here in the Philippines, we sure love livers contains 479 milligrams of cholesterol. marketing Carmie de Leon. “While keeping the Rh factor.
all kinds of skewered meats and fried goods High cholesterol could lead to a disaster preparedness kit will make us Healthway Medical offers laboratory
being peddled in the neighborhood. And cardiovascular diseases such as heart attack ready, there’s also a need to bank blood to blood tests for adults to help them identify
our love affair with street food is in many or stroke, according to Pharex Health Corp. prepare for the worst.” if they are eligible for transfusion.
ways due to their interesting taste and medical director Amado Nazal. “Satisfying One donor could actually help save the
affordability. But before you spend your your cravings for street food is natural; it’s lives of three people who need to receive If you want to donate blood, e-mail Red
spare change for a stick of grilled meat, part of the Filipino culture. However, it’s blood transfusion, according to the Cross Philippines at prc@redcross.org.ph
medical experts warn that those who more important for you to prioritize taking American Red Cross. But before you start or call (02) 790-2329. To check your blood
frequently snack on these fares are at an care of yourself to enjoy life’s other flavors,” rolling up your sleeves, it is important to type in preparation for your transfusion,
increased risk of having high cholesterol he says. understand the processes and preparations visit any Healthway Medical clinics at
levels. The major culprit? Chicken liver. With this, Pharex Health Corp. highlights for blood donation. “Filipinos should take a the Alabang Town Center, Shangri-la
While chicken liver provides nutrients the importance of taking the prescribed personal assessment of themselves, putting Plaza, Market! Market!, Festival Mall,
beneficial for anemic individuals (this medication and making lifestyle modifications into consideration their age, weight and Healthway Manila, SM The Block and
cut is rich in protein, iron, vitamin B12 to lower a person’s cholesterol levels. health conditions,” reiterates De Leon. Greenbelt 5.

COMPASSIONATE CARE FOR CANCER PATIENTS BREASTFEEDING AT WORK

The debate on breastfeeding
in public remains hot until
this day. Decency vis-à-vis
the urgency and rights of the
mother to feed her infant
in public spaces are being
considered and reconsidered by
those affected and concerned.
For the working mom, the
challenge to breastfeed her
child becomes even greater.
As part of its commitment to
help mothers breastfeed longer,
Philips AVENT launched
Comfortable Anywhere:
Breastfeeding at Work, an
advocacy that encourages offices
across the country to make it
easier and more comfortable
for moms to breastfeed in
the workplace by setting up
Dealing with cancer is one of the most genetic testing may be recommended by breastfeeding rooms.
difficult things a person can go through. ACI’s team of experts. RJ Buenaventura, general
The disease does not only affect the health   Aside from medical procedures, the manager for Philips Consumer
and wellbeing of patients, but also impacts Chrys Two Center has an Integrative Lifestyle, shares, “At Philips
those people around them. The stress comes Medicine Clinic that offers complementary AVENT we’re committed to
from the physical and emotional pains and and integrative medicine, plus various supporting parents and their
financial woes, among other things, the workshops on certain topics. Cancer babies, giving them the best start
reason why support for the patient and their support groups are also present in the in life to set the stage for healthy
relatives is an important factor in cancer facility to aid the patients and their families futures.  We know that most new
care and management. as they go through this ordeal. moms want to breastfeed their baby because should offer moms not only a hygienic,
The Asian Hospital and Medical Center  The center also caters to patients with very they believe it’s healthier for them. “ private and comfortable place to breastfeed
understands this need as it recently specific and special dietary needs through its For working moms, expressing milk but go the extra mile to make a real difference
inaugurated the Asian Cancer Institute Nutrition Clinic. The Medical Social & Psycho- at work is often difficult, especially if the during a very precious time in their lives.
that is focused on integrative, supportive Oncology Clinic meanwhile is for individuals workplace does not have good facilities Through this advocacy, we want to help
and palliative care services. The Chrys Two who need social and psychological counseling. where they could pump freely. corporate offices set up these breastfeeding
Center provides a wide range of services The Rehabilitation Oncology Clinic offers “We believe that breastfeeding moms rooms and support breastfeeding moms.”
from preventive care to pain management. massage, physical therapy, occupational should feel comfortable wherever they
The center allows individuals who have therapy, and other services. Under the center’s choose to breastfeed, whether at home To be part of the advocacy, email Lester
a history of cancer in their family to go Pain and Supportive Care Unit, patients are or at work,” says Pia Umayam, business Hernandez at lester.hernandez@philips.com.
through individual and genetic counseling. highest quality comprehensive care for pain development manager for Philips AVENT. For more information on Philips AVENT, log
Based on this cancer risk assessment, and palliative care. “A breastfeeding room at the workplace on to www.philips.com.ph
 T H U R S D AY : S E P T E M B E R 24 : 2 0 1 5

C4 LIFE
life @ thestandard.com .ph @LIFEatStandard

Oh Crab Lah! Salad

(Signature) – Has Romaine
lettuce, crab sticks,
egg, vermicelli, cherry
tomatoes, red onions,
croutons, Singapore
Chili Crab dressing

Big Bird Wrap

(Signature) – Has
Romaine lettuce,
smoked turkey,
avocado, green
apple, celery, red
Salad Stop in Carlos Palanca grapes, Ranch
dressing

FINALLY, A SALAD STOP

Omega 3 Baby! Salad
(Signature) – Has Rocket
and Romaine lettuce,
smoked salmon, broccoli,

IN MAKATI CBD
cherry tomatoes,
beetroot, red onions,
sunflower seeds,
Balsamic Soy Vinaigrette
Jai Ho! Wrap
(Signature) – Has

I
Romaine lettuce,
f you work along Ayala Avenue and back If you have not tried SaladStop!, it’s a quick vermicelli, tomatoes, red onions, croutons Tandoori chicken,
of Dela Rosa in Makati, you’d often end up service salad-bar concept that allows you to and Singapore Chili Crab dressing. Now if potato, chickpeas,
with fast foods and an unhealthy array of choose and customize your salad from over you want something with Wasabi Honey Soy cherry tomatoes,
capsicum,
restaurants and bars for breakfast, lunch, and 60 fresh toppings along with a selection of 20 dressing, opt for a Tuna San, it’s a mixture cucumber, Indian
dinner. We often wonder, if there is a more homemade dressings. If you’re not sure of the of romaine, seared tuna, avocado, edamame, Spiced Yogurt
accessible, healthier option, would we be mixes, you may opt to choose from 10 quirky cherry tomatoes, mandarin orange, and dressing
skipping our next French fries or slab of pizza named signature salads to get you started. sesame seeds. For the Philippine palate, they
from around the corner of the building? Well, Some of the crowd favorites are – Iron ‘Wo’ specially created Man-go Wild (romaine,
now there is a new green option in the OPL Man – no, it’s not just for people who do cucumber, carrots, green mango, red onions, Iron “Wo” Man Salad
Building at Carlos Palanca Street. triathlons, it’s a mixture of baby spinach, white turnip, yellow raisins, fried garlic, mint (Signature) – Has Baby
Now on its third branch in the Philippines, feta cheese, roasted pumpkin, yellow raisins, leaf, in Mango Vinaigrette dressing) and Spinach, feta cheese,
roasted pumpkin, yellow
Singapore-born healthy food chain SaladStop! toasted almonds in raspberry vinaigrette Sunshine Manila (romaine, tuna flakes, raisins, toasted almonds,
is expanding and made more accessible for on- dressing. A spicy pleaser is Oh Crab Lah! brown rice, cherry tomatoes, crispy lumpia Raspberry Vinaigrette
the-go eaters. Since its inception in November Made out of romaine, crab sticks, egg, skin, in Tamarind Citrus Vinaigrette). Tuna San Wrap
2009 by father and son team, Daniel and Adrien Today SaladStop! currently runs a total of (Signature) – Has
Romaine lettuce,
Desbaillets, SaladStop! continues to uphold its 15 outlets in Singapore and is still expanding. seared tuna,
vision of bringing something innovative, fresh In the Philippines, it is officially franchised avocado, edamame,
and healthy to a wider group of people. by Specialty Food Retailers, Inc. (SFRI) and cherry tomatoes,
“When we started, there were not enough is scheduled to open two more outlets in mandarin orange,
sesame seeds,
healthy options in Singapore. We wanted to bring Greenhills and the Glorietta Mall by the Wasabi Honey
something different aside from the normal char latter part of 2015. Soy dressing
kway chow, laksa or chicken rice. Nobody was
doing it the way we were doing it, sort of like a fast For more information visit them on Facebook at
casual concept,” explains SaladStop! co-founder SaladStop Philippines and follow @saladstopph Go Geisha! Salad (Signature) – Has Romaine lettuce,
red & white cabbage, firm tofu, asparagus, carrots,
and managing director Adrien Desbaillets. on Instagram and Twitter. soba noodles, snow peas, edamame, sesame seeds,
Adrien Desbaillets co-founder and managing director
of Salad Stop with Executive Chef Tony Tan cucumber, sweet corn, Japanese Miso dressing

SPA BUFFET AT DEVARANA SPA

T
here’s nothing more relaxing
than a spa on a rainy day.
This rainy September, head
out to Devarana Spa at
Dusit Thani Manila and avail of the
exclusive Pampering Rewards Spa
Buffet package. Yes, you got that right,
“Spa Buffet.”
Devarana Spa is treating its guests
to a customizable spa bundle with
more than 10 treatments to choose
from. Spa all you can! Guests may
select the two-hour or three-hour
spa buffet with choices that range
from a 30-minute Thai herbal Devarana Spa
steam to the 90-minute Devarana treating our guests like they are in Devarana Spa is located at the 2nd
signature massage. their very own garden in heaven. We floor of Dusit Thani Manila. The
If you’re not too keen on the two- encourage everyone to take advantage Monsoon Package is valid through
hour or three-hour spa buffet, you of our exceptional seasonal promos September 2015 while the Pampering
may opt for their bestselling Monsoon and discover for themselves why Rewards Spa Buffet is valid until
Escape package. Also, get a chance to Devarana Spa Manila was named as December 2015. For inquiries
win special gift vouchers. one of the world’s best spa hotels for and reservations, call +63 (2) 238
“Our well-trained team at 2014,” enthused Dusit Thani Manila 8888 ext. 8856 or email manila@
Devarana Spa is committed to general manager Bruno Cristol. devaranaspa.com.
Spa Buffet
 T HUR S DAY : S EPT EMBER 24 : 2015

SHOWBITZ isahred @ gmail.com

ISAH V. RED
EDITOR
C5

From left (seated), First Secretary and Cultural Attaché of the Embassy of Spain Mr. Guillermo Escribano, FDCP Chairman Briccio Santos, H.E. Ambassador Luis Calvo of the Embassy of Spain in Manila,
and Director of the Filmoteca de Andalucía Pablo García Casado pose with participants of the ACERCA Seminar

FDCP’s ACerCA seminAr

T
wenty staff mem- ty, exhibition, and education on Santos, Spanish Ambassador
Luis, and Isabel Pérez Gálvez
bers of the Film De- the final day of the seminar. from the Embassy’s
velopment Council The closing ceremony was Cultural Department
address the participants
of the Philippines held on Sept. 11. Spanish
(FDCP) and the National Ambassador Luis Calvo and
Film Archives of the Philip- FDCP Chairman Briccio
pines (NFAP) took part in the Santos presented certificates
first-ever Acerca seminar held of completion to the partici-
in the Philippines, Sept. 9 – pants. In his closing remarks
11. With the topic “Towards the Ambassador noted that
the Creation of a National Spain and the Philippines
Film Archives,” the seminar share a cultural legacy and
focused on the organization, common treasury, attributing
restoration, preservation, and cinema to being an object of
conservation of the rich film cooperation. Likewise, Santos
heritage of the country, as well emphasized, “Our efforts to
as on the international regula- preserve our film heritage are
tions on film heritage and the vital and foremost. It is not a
best ways to implement them. choice, but a matter of nation-
The seminar was co-orga- al obligation and a lifetime
Santos presents ACERCA
nized by the Embassy of Spain commitment by the state.” Seminar instructor Pablo
in the Philippines together Casado was presented with García Casado with a
Certificate of Appreciation
with the Spanish Agency for a Certificate of Appreciation
International Development by the FDCP for sharing his
Cooperation (AECID) and expertise and knowledge to his
the International and Ibe- colleagues in the Philippines.
ro-American Foundation for The Acerca Programme
Administration and Public was created in 2005 by AE-
Policies (FIIAPP), in cooper- CID. Over the course of a de-
ation with FDCP and NFAP. cade, over 22,000 people have
Pablo García Casado, di- participated in more than 600
rector of the Filmoteca de activities organized in more
Andalucía, was flown in from than 33 countries around the
Spain to head the seminar. The world. The primary goal of
Filmoteca is the film archives ACERCA is to support and
and Cinematheque of the An- promote training and build
dalusian region of Spain and is capacities of practitioners in
Director of the
a member of the International the cultural sector as a con- Filmoteca de
Federation of Film Archives tribution to development and Andalucía Pablo
García Casado
(FIAF). He is also an acclaimed collective welfare.
poet, with a degree in law from The Acerca seminar was
the University of Colombia. the culmination of plans
Casado began the seminar made during a trip by FDCP
with a historical introduction Chairman Santos and FDCP
to film archiving, followed by Executive director Teodoro
interactive discussions that Granados in 2013 to the Film-
fleshed out the issues of what, oteca Española and Instituto
why, and for whom to preserve de la Cinematografica y de las
and restore film. On the second Artes Audiovisuales in Spain.
day, he covered the national The trip was a conducted in
and international regulations cooperation with the Embassy
on film heritage, regulations of Spain in the Philippines and
formulated by FIAF, and the the PICE Visitors Program.
challenges that archives face in The seminar was held at
the digital era. Finally, he dis- the Asian Institute of Man-
cussed the issues of accessibili- agement.
 T HUR S DAY : S EPT EMBER 24 : 2015

C6 SHOWBITZ isahred @ gmail.com

FiLiPinO ACtS
Apl.de Ap.
performs at
PHITEX 2015

PASS ‘thE X
FACtOR UK’
BOOt CAmP Apl.de.Ap
Filipinos shone in the group perfor-
mance during Boot Camp on The X brings
Factor UK.  4th Power and Neneth
Lyons both made it through to the down the
next round of competitions.  4th
Power, the all-Filipino girl group Neneth Lyons house
composed of sisters Mylene, Ce- Popular Filipino member of the Black
lina, Irene and Almira Cercado, Eyed Peas, Apl.de.Ap, pumped up
aged 19-27, and Neneth Lyons, the the delegates during the opening of
37-year old full-time mother from the Philippine Travel Exchange (PHI-
Chelmsford, performed in a group TEX) 2015 with his original song and
with four other acts singing Tina music video entitled “It’s More Fun in
Turner’s “Proud Mary.” The Philippines”.
Prior to the performance, a The Department of Tourism (DOT)
short clip of the rehearsals was and the Tourism Promotions Board
shown.  Neneth said she was there (TPB) tapped Apl.de.Ap to write a
”to compete” while 4th Power said song about how it is more fun in Phil-
that was going to be “the perfor- ippines. The music video, the country’s
mance of a lifetime.” tourist destinations as ‘paradise,’ was
Clearly the outstanding perform- launched during the program, fea-
ers of their group, 4th Power nailed turing Apl.de.Ap enjoying the many
the singing, dancing and hairogra- attractions and adventures that await
phy with their locks swinging and visitors coming to the Philippines.
whipping as they did their routine.  The singer shared that he didn’t feel it
Neneth showed that she was a fan- 4th Power was work when he was asked to appear
tastic singer when she belted the in the VPA 2016 music video. Apl.de.Ap
bigger parts of the song and showed also believes that tourists all over the
she was an equally good dancer world should come and visit the Philip-
during the group’s performance. pines, and see that the country has in-
The other performers in the deed many wonderful things to offer.
group were Louisa Johnson, Jas- Philippine Travel Exchange (PHITEX)
mine Leigh Morris, Andre Batch- 2015 is the country’s biggest and most
elor and Sherlyn Hamilton Shaw.  important travel trade event this month
Before giving the judges’ decision, which brings together local travel in-
Simon Cowell asked 4TH Power, vestors to meet foreign buyers from all
Andre Batchelor and Jasmine Leigh over the world. PHITEX 2015 includes
Morris to step forward signaling the the MICECON, the country’s largest
possible divide in the results.  But in assembly of local stakeholders in Meet-
the end, he said that all acts went ings, Incentive travel, Conventions, and
through as all screamed in relief Events/Exhibitions (MICE) industry, and
and excitement.  TRAVEX, exclusive business-to-business
The 4TH Power and Neneth Lyons appointment meetings between Philip-
move on to the next round of compe- pine sellers and foreign buyers.
titions, the Six Chair Challenge. 4th Power and Neneth

CROSSWORD PUZZLE THURSDAY,

SEPTEMBER 24, 2015

43 Ballroom number 12 Ms. DeMille

44 Ostrich feather 13 Droplet
45 — Abner, of 21 Sault — Marie
the comics 23 Unctuous
46 Forded 25 Improbable wish
48 Squelches 27 Bane of pvts.
51 Codgers’ queries 28 Strait-laced
52 Awkward 29 Slave girl of opera
54 Hepburn’s quartet 30 Bridal notice word
59 Swell, as a river 34 Playing marble
60 Perfume bottle 35 Recognize
62 Municipal 36 THUS
63 Pharaoh’s god 37 A portion of
64 Advantage 38 Gazed at
65 Where Valletta is 40 Swift traveler
66 Brain, maybe 41 Gore and Capone
67 Crash, so to speak 43 Little creek
68 Win every game 44 Pouched
ANSWER FOR PREVIOUS PUZZLE critters (var.)
DOWN 45 Fable
ACROSS 1 Like the sky 47 “P” for Plato
1 Lady fox 24 — be an honor! 2 Mr. Stravinsky 48 Very
6 Microwaves 26 Popsicle holders 3 Fracture 49 Big name at Indy
10 Strike ignorer 27 Monkey wrench finder (hyph.) 50 Rudely sarcastic
14 See eye-to-eye 31 Seine moorage 4 Mouse alerts 52 Kind of muffin
15 Charles Lamb pen 32 “Peer Gynt” 5 Bird activity 53 Chokes
name composer 6 Koan discipline 55 Bird’s crop
16 Lobby call 33 Meaningless 7 Slugger 56 Equal to the task
17 Charges too much 36 Mao — -tung Moises — 57 Tempo
18 Midnight opposite 39 Waterfront event 8 Subatomic particles 58 Be grouchy
19 Moon goddess 40 In a carefree way 9 Holiness 61 Tolerate
20 Rendezvous 41 Mariner’s hello 10 Alter genes
22 Relaxed, as a snake 42 Like a bairn 11 Seal a tub
 T HUR S DAY : S EPT EMBER 24 : 2015

SHOWBITZ isahred @ gmail.com

C7
‘YouR Face sounds FaMiliaR’
new season debuts From c8

V
iewers nationwide tuned Kakai as AiAi delas Alas, KZ as cert queens Kuh Ledesma and Pops
in to the pilot episode of Pink, and Michael as Janno Gibbs. Fernandez, among others. Musical
Your Face Sounds Famil- Don’t miss the weekly transfor- direction is by Raul Mitra.
iar’s all-new season on mations and performances in the Through the years, Gabay Guro’s
ABS-CBN with new eight celebrity all-new season of Your Face Sounds tribute events have been known the
performers’ performances as pop- Familiar,”Saturdays after MMK and country over for their excellent raf-
ular music icons. Sundays after Rated K on ABS-CBN. fle prizes being given to the deserv-
According to data from Kantar HHHHH ing teachers. This year, Gabay Guro
Media, the episode on Sept 12 scored Regine Velasquez, is giving away two house and lot
a national TV rating of 31.7 percent, MaRtin nieVeRa, packages from Amaia and Perry’s
or almost double that of its rival pro- otheR staRs honoR Group of Companies, Gratour Van
gram, GMA’s Celebrity Bluff (16.2 teacheRs nationwide from Foton, three motorcycles from
percent). The Sunday episode on It’s that time of the year again! Honda, Suzuki and Ropali Corp.,
Sept 13 gained a national TV rating And it is that much-awaited oc- livelihood packages from KaAsen-
of 27.3 percent versus Kapuso Mo, casion when thousands of teachers so Cyberya, Sun and Talk N Text;
Jessica Soho’s” 23.2 percent. across the country gather at the Mall cash prizes from Pro Friends and
The show also generated buzz of Asia (MOA) Arena for PLDT Ga- PECCI, travel package from First
Kean as Harry, Denise as JLo, Eric as Willie Revillame, Michael as George Michael, Melai online as its official hastags #YFSF- bay Guro’s grand teacherfest. United Corp., and a lot more from
as Madonna, Sam as Eminem, Myrtle as Sandara, KZ as Vina Morales, and Kakai as Sia NewSeason and #AllNewYFSF be- The event, an embodiment of “I Asian Secret, Bear Brand, Clover,
came top trending topics on Twit- Inspire” campaign, is a salute, a cel- Enchanted Kingdom, Ever Bilena,
ter nationwide and worldwide. ebration, and a renewal of Gabay National Bookstore, Penshoppe,
Comedian Eric Nicolas was Guro’s commitment to the proud phCare, Red Planet Hotels, Sam-
named the first weekly top scorer profession of teaching through sung Business, Shakey’s, Toy King-
for his impersonation of Willie trainings, scholarships, livelihood dom, among others. Phil Life, Our
Revillame that flawlessly replicat- and life enhancing programs so Lady of Lourdes Hospital and Red
ed his looks, gestures, and singing they can continuously change lives. Cross will be on hand the whole day
voice. He received an overall score This teachers’ month, Gabay as the official event’s medics.
of 42 points from jurors Gary Va- Guro mounts a big tribute event, The PLDT Gabay Guro founda-
lenciano, Jed Madela, and Sharon the Teacherfest, at the MOA Arena, tion is the education arm and flag-
Cuneta and won P100,000, half of on Sept. 27, from 1p.m. onwards ship project of the PLDT-SMART
which will go to his chosen charity, and is expected to generate almost Foundation, a program run by
the Child Haus Foundation. 20,000 teachers representing the volunteers composed of executives
Trailing behind Eric were Sam different schools, public and pri- from the PLDT Manager’s Club
Concepcion performing as Emi- vate, from everywhere in the Phil- Inc. (PLDT MCI). The core of the
nem (27 points), Kakai Bautista ippines. Admission is free. Program is defined by its Pillars
as Sia (18 points), Kean Cipriano Like the Gabay Guro Facebook namely: Scholarships, Trainings,
as Harry Styles (15 points), De- page to know how you can join Housing and Educational Facili-
nise Laurel as Jennifer Lopez (12 the event. ties, Livelihood Programs, Broad-
points), Myrtle Sarrosa as Sandara To lend glitter and fun to the oc- banding and Computerization,
Park (8 points), KZ as Vina Morales casion, hot young love team James and Teachers’ Tribute.
(5 points), and Michael Pangilinan Reid and Nadine Lustre will be For more information on the
as George Michael (5 points). there, as well as world-class talents PLDT Gabay Guro grand tribute
Last weekend, there were more El Gamma Penumbra, Leo Valdez, event happening on Sept. 27 at the
surprises for viewers as Sam gave Ima Castro, among others. Sterling MOA Arena, please visit the Gabay
his best impersonation and per- names in the music firmament will Guro official website  www.gabay-
formance as Jason Derulo, Eric as be taking center-stage headlined guro.com, like the facebook page
Louis Armstrong, Kean as Randy by the Songbird Regine Velasquez, www.facebook.com/gabayguro
Santiago, Myrtle as Jessa Zarago- concert kings Martin Nievera, Gary follow them on twitter and Insta-
Ms. Chaye Cabal-Revilla and Mr. Gary Dujali, PLDT 2G Marketing Head za, Denise as Christina Aguilera, Valenciano, and Basil Valdez, con- gram at @PLDTGabayGuro. 

‘KitChen Whiz’ premieres

on DisCovery KiDs
F
ollow two teams of junior es on the ingredients, taste, texture
chefs face-off to score the of a particular dish, and cooking
most points in Kitchen Whiz, style. They will earn a point for each
a fast and fabulous kids’ game question they get right. Round Two
show with a focus on the world of is called ‘We Show! You Do!’ where
food, cooking, and food science. contestants have three minutes to
In each episode, the contestants replicate a recipe demonstrated by
compete in fun, messy, tactile tasks a celebrity chef. Points are earned
as they take on challenges posed by for each correct step, and teams can
host Alice Zaslavsky. score bonus points if they successful-
Along the way, they find out in- ly recreated the entire dish.
teresting facts about food, cook- Then, the teams face the ‘Kitchen
ing styles, and ingredients. Kitchen Ninja’ – a silent but hilarious master
Whiz is on Discovery Kids week- in the art of quick cooking. Will the
days at 5.30 p.m. this month. dishes pass the Kitchen Ninja’s taste
Kitchen Whiz is a food competi- test? The scores are tallied up and
tion show for kids aged 12-14 years the winning team is announced. The
old. They will be having a sizzling show does not stop here, as the Kitch-
good time – and feeling the heat – en Ninja dishes out a bonus challenge
as they try to out-do each other and called Alphabet Soup and contestants
take home great prizes. must draw on their spelling skills.
The host, self-confessed “food But this isn’t a regular spelling bee…
nerd” Zaslavsky, will give the two Catch the excitement and join the
teams different tasks. In the first teams as they race around the su-
round, the master chef hopefuls take per-stocked Kitchen Whiz Pantry!
Kitchen Whiz
the Food Facts quiz, which focus- Episodes encore 5:30 p.m. weekdays.
 T HUR S DAY : S EPT EMBER 24 : 2015

C8 isahred @ gmail.com
ISAH V. RED
EDITOR

SHOWBITZ

JC De Vera

SteLLar heLpS MaKe

and Jericho
Rosales

brandS Shine onLine  mentions on Facebook, Twitter, enjoy fluid communication with
and Instagram, while the Star Score their favorite stars. Currently, 55
is calculated based on an artist’s lineups of K-pop celebrities are
latest TV projects, movie projects, signed up on the on-air schedule,
ISAH V. RED and last and current endorsements. including Big Bang, SM Town,
“As a leader in the digital space, Wonder Girls, 2PM, and Kara.
Products and services seeking to we would like to set up the indus- Comprised of three categories -
amplify their online presence and try standard on how brands and ‘Special Live,’ ‘App Live,’ and ‘Spot
engage with their target audienc- influencers mutually benefit as they Live’ – V app offers exclusive vid-
es can look into leveraging on the work together in engaging their au- eos of concerts and showcases,
online personas of the most pop- diences. We offer a standard mea- while revealing celebrities’ hidden
ular and followed celebrities via surement and pricing model so we personalities and talents through
Stellar, the newly launched social give credit where credit is due, and self-produced contents by the
media celebrity marketing agency ensure all stakeholders in the social stars themselves. Also equipped
of ABS-CBN.  media ecosystem are taken care of in with a real-time chatting feature,
Stellar, the first of its kind in the this entire process,” said ABS-CBN users can have engaging commu-
country, will empower social me- chief digital officer Donald Lim. nication with the stars.
dia campaigns for products and Stellar’s services also extend to With the ‘Star Following’ fea-
services through Star Magic art- other ABS-CBN digital properties ture, users can follow the individ-
ists and their Facebook, Twitter, as it will amplify the reach of its ual channels established for each
and Instagram accounts. brand campaigns by utilizing the celebrity group and receive alerts
Star Magic, which manages some social media accounts of ABS- when their favorite stars start Jolina Magdangal and Maja Salvador
of the country’s most followed ce- CBN, Star Magic, ASAP 20, ABS- their live broadcasting.
lebrities online, currently has more CBN Sports, and entertainment Other additional features such
than 230 artists under its stable. website PUSH. as ‘Upcoming’ and ‘Chemi-beat’,
One of them is actress Kathryn And to effectively measure a allow users to stay updated for up-
Bernardo, who remains to be one campaign’s success, Stellar will coming on-air schedules and have
of the most followed celebrities in provide clients with thorough and more interactive experiences with
the country with over five million complete analytics to measure the the stars. Total of two to six new
followers on Twitter and 2.6 mil- overall success of a campaign, and contents are released daily. After a
lion followers on Instagram. gauge the sentiments and reac- live-broadcast, users can watch the
The most liked and followed tions of people online.  video again through VOD service.
Star Magic artists on Facebook, To know more about Stellar, vis- Proving its global popularity with
meanwhile, are actress Kim Chiu it stellar.abs-cbn.com, like www. a record of 610,000 downloads in
and singer-songwriter Yeng Con- facebook.com/stellar.abscbn, or 170 markets on the first day of its
stantino, in terms of personal pag- follow stellar_phils on Twitter and beta release, K-pop lovers in 210 Donald Lim, Richard Reynante, Melissa Ricks, Maricar Reyes, and John Sweet Lapus
es and fan pages, respectively. stellarphils on Instagram. countries are now interacting with during the panel discussion at Stellar's grand launch
Using different contextual social HHHHH their favorite stars through V app.
listening features, Stellar will de- Meet Your Favorite K-pop App downloads in non-Korean
termine the fit of the artists’ perso- StarS on-Line with ‘v’ app countries account for more than 60
na to the needs of brands, and help V app, a live-streaming video ap- percent of the total download num-
them connect with their desired plication featuring the hottest bers. V app especially enjoys popu-
target audience via social media. K-pop stars, is now available for all larity in the Philippines and other
The pricing for each social media iOS and Android users worldwide. regions including the U.S., Japan,
campaign will be determined by Since the beta release ion July China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Indo-
Navi Score – a new scheme revo- 31, V app has become the best nesia, Thailand and Vietnam. Nav-
lutionized by Stellar – which is the gateway to meet the top-notch er is now focusing on the provision
combined Digital Score and Star K-pop stars everywhere. With the of smoother global services, while
Score of an artist. The Digital Score recent official iOS and Android expanding the lineup to include
reflects an artist’s reach, engage- launch, V app provides more sta- non-Korean celebrities in the future. Richard Reynante, Maja Salvador, Melissa Ricks, and Maricar Reyes
ment, and number of social media bilized service for global users to ➜ Continued on C7 during the panel discussion at Stellar's grand launch